NIH https://www.nih.gov is in the process of establishing a network to include ten clinical research centers to improve opioid addiction treatment in criminal justice settings. NIH will award 12 grants to form the “Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network” (JCOIN) to support research on quality addiction treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) in criminal justice settings nationwide.
JCOIN will conduct a national survey of addiction treatment delivery services within the justice system, do studies on the effectiveness and adoption of new medications, provide for prevention and treatment interventions and technologies, and find novel uses for existing data sources in order to understand how to provide the best care in the justice population.
The awards totaling an estimated $155 million from the National Institute on Drug Abuse https://www.drugabuse.gov within NIH, will support the multi-year innovation network to include ten research institutions and two centers.
Awarded research centers will study evidence-based medications, behavioral interventions, digital therapeutics, and comprehensive patient-centered treatments in 15 states and Puerto Rico. Each grantee will work with five or more communities in order to help organizations in justice settings and service providers in communities. One research example includes using telehealth, patient navigation, and peer recovery support services to help individuals with OUD treatment.
JCOIN will address gaps in OUD treatment and related services in a wide range of criminal justice settings such as in jails, drug courts, problem-solving courts, policing and diversions, re-entry, and during probation and parole.
Funding institutions include, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Baystate Medical Center, Friends Research Institute, Inc. (Maryland), Texas Christian University NYU School of Medicine, Brown University, University of Chicago, Chestnut Health Systems Inc. (Illinois) University of Kentucky, and Yale University.
George Mason University in Fairfax Virginia will serve as the JCOIN coordination and translation center. The JCOIN Center will be responsible for managing logistics, engaging with practitioners and other key stakeholders in the justice and behavioral health fields, and disseminating products and key research findings.
The JCOIN Center will identify dissemination strategies for reaching criminal justice stakeholders and provide funding for the rapid turnaround for innovative pilot studies. An educational component will provide outreach and mentorship to researchers and practitioners in the field.
The University of Chicago will serve as the methodology and advanced analytic resource center and provide data infrastructure plus statistical and analytic expertise to support individual JCOIN studies and cross-site data synchronization.
In addition, the Advanced Analytic Resource Center will conduct novel empirical research to better understand the changes in state policies and practices within the criminal justice system as they relate to the opioid crisis.
Go to https://www.nih.gov/research-training/medical-research-initiatives/heal-initiative/justice-community-opioid-innovation-network for more information on JCOIN.