Understanding why teens relapse after treatment and how to keep them safe
Official title: A mixed methods examination of adolescent overdose and return to high-risk drug use after treatment
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-11447491 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A teen-focused study will look at why adolescents who finish inpatient treatment sometimes return to high-risk drug use and how that affects overdose risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $453,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R21DA064957-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11447491 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents aged 12–19 who have completed inpatient addiction treatment and are followed for 12 months after discharge.
✕Less likely to help
Adolescents not approaching treatment or those not transitioning to outpatient or home-based care may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
The project uses existing teen treatment data and new interviews to explore what factors help or hurt recovery after discharge from inpatient addiction care. It combines numbers from past follow-ups with in-depth conversations to understand how recovery resources, peers, legal issues, mental health, age, and sex influence the chance of returning to risky drug use and overdose. By looking at these patterns over a year after discharge, the study aims to identify points where support could prevent relapse and overdose. This work is grounded in real-world data from adolescents aged 12–19 who sought inpatient treatment. If successful, the findings could inform targeted interventions for youth leaving treatment to stay safer.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If the findings identify clear risk and protective factors, clinicians and policymakers could tailor post-discharge support to reduce overdose risk among adolescents.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown some predictors of relapse, but this study adds longitudinal, adolescent-specific insights and qualitative depth.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kelly, John Francis — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Kelly, John Francis
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.