Rehabilitation & Recovery
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Individuals diagnosed with mental illness are at greater risk for social isolation and reduced community integration, unemployment or reduced rates of employment, homelessness, physical health problems and early mortality, dropout from school or college, substance use or misuse, involvement with the justice system, and suicide. Our efforts focus on examining issues critical to the promotion of recovery and quality of life of individuals who have been diagnosed with a mental illness so they may achieve full community integration. Rehabilitation, recovery and wellness researchers have a diverse portfolio of nationally and internationally-based studies that will improve the lives of individuals diagnosed with a mental illness and their families. We are interested in:
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Colleen Mckay, M.A., C.A.G.S.
Barry Feldman, Ph.D.
Jeffrey Geller, Ph.D.
David Smelson, Psy.D.
Adapting Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy for Soldiers in Post-Deployment
Title: Adapting Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy for Soldiers in Post-Deployment
Dates: 5/15/2014 - 4/30/2017
Funder: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
Funding: $3386,423
Co-PI: David Smelson, Psy.D.
Description: This project seeks to adapts and test a well-established civilian Alcohol Behavioral Couple Therapy (ABCT) approach to meet the unique needs and challenges facing returning service members from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), and Operation New Dawn (OND). ABCT-Military will deliver existing core sets of (a) abstinence-based, alcohol-related interventions, and (b) couple interventions, but with adaptations to make the treatment palatable and relevant to post-deployment service members. Four new optional models will be developed to address issues exacerbated by and aggravating problem drinking among soldiers and their families following return from theater. The modules are designed to help couples cope with symptoms of: 1. Intimate Partner Violence; 2. Depression; 3. PTSD, and 4.TBI.
MISSION Forward (Maintaining Independence & Sobriety through Systems Integration)
Title: MISSION Forward (Maintaining Independence & Sobriety through Systems Integration)
Dates: 9/11/2013 - 6/30/2016
Funder: Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services
Funding: $419,264
PI: David Smelson, Psy.D.
Description: MISSION Forward will serve180 clients (120 clients in the Quincy Adult Drug Court and 60 clients in the Dedham Veterans Treatment Court) who will receive MISSION services for up to one year. The project focuses on two types of specialty courts and will embed peer and case manager teams who will use an evidence-based wraparound model previously developed with SAMHSA funding to specifically improve coordinatin between the courts, clients, and community-based treatment providers.
I Link to Enhance Reentry Supports
Title: I Link to Enhance Reentry Supports
Dates: 4/1/2013 - 3/31/2017
Funder: National Institute of Mental Health
Funding: $2,379,266
PI: David Smelson, Psy.D.
Description: In conjunction with WPI, this study is developing a mobile app to assist with community engagement
Improving Outcomes for Homeless Veterans with Peer Support
Title: Improving Outcomes for Homeless Veterans with Peer Support
Dates: 12/1/2012 - 6/1/2017
Funder: Veterans Administration
Funding: $1,100,000
PI: Marsha Ellison, Ph.D.
Description: This project is a multi-site randomized controlled trial of delivering peer support to homeless veterans with co-occurring mental illness and substance abuse. Using a manualized peer support intervention available in the MISSION-VET Consumer Workbook this project aims to improve housing retention and community functioning by reducing substance use and relapse among 200 veterans in Bedford, Massachusetts and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Personnel: David Smelson, Psy.D. (Co-I)
Bridges to Health Information for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
Title: Bridges to Health Information for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness
Co-PI’s: Kathleen Biebel, Ph.D., Elaine Martin, D.A.
Funding: NIH/NLM
Budget: $299,794
Time Frame: 4/1/2015 – 4/30/2018
Description:
In October 2015, the UMass Chan Medical School (UMass Chan) was awarded grant funding from the National Library of Medicine to transform the existing UMass Chan eMentalHealth web site into a dynamic, interactive, wide-reaching eHealth resource for individuals with SMI. The eMental Health Bridges project will promote health literacy by developing, testing, and implementing:
- eMH4me training modules to provide guidance for individuals with SMI on web-based information searching, judging source and site credibility, and interpreting data; and
- web site prototypes that will serve as a connection to essential physical health information for individuals living with SMI. eMental Health Bridges will embrace user experience and design accommodations required for individuals with SMI to benefit fully from eHealth resources.
Over a three-year period, the eMental Health Bridges project team will work closely with individuals with SMI at each stage of the redesign process. Specific aims of eMH Bridges include:
- Making strategic recommendations for eMH web site redesign including the eMH4me training modules and the eMH Bridges prototype;
- Conducting usability testing to develop fully functional web-based training modules and prototypes; and
- Conducting remote testing of the acceptability and feasibility of the eMH4me training modules and eMH Bridges prototypes.
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University of Massachusetts Clinical and Translational Science Award
Title: University of Massachusetts Clinical and Translational Science Award
PI: Katherine Luzuriaga, MD
Co-Director Community Engagement and Collaboration Core: Stephenie C. Lemon, PhD, MS & Maryann Davis, PhD
Funding: National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Time Frame: 2020-2025
Description: This award enhances the capacity of the UMass Chan Medical School in the conduct of clinical and translational research, with a focus on infrastructure development. The Community Engagement and Collaboration Core aims to enhance academic and community capacity to address urgent health priorities among communities in Massachusetts using community engaged research approaches through the establishment of regional community-based research networks (CBRN) and implement educational and workforce development programs.
Building a Lasting Foundation to Advance Actionable Research on Recovery Support Services for High Risk Individuals
Title: Building a Lasting Foundation to Advance Actionable Research on Recovery Support Services for High Risk Individuals: The Initiative for Justice and Emerging Adult Populations
PI: Ashli Sheidow, PhD & Michael McCart, PhD
Co-I: Maryann Davis, PhD
Funding: National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Time Frame: 2020-2025
Description: This partnership between advanced researchers, persons in recovery, providers, and payors will advance research on peer supports and recovery residences for (a) public system involved emerging adults (ages 16-25) and (b) individuals who are justice-involved (including emerging adults). The Initiative partners will: (1) identify priority research areas, (2) grow the field of early career investigators in this research, (3) provide funds and guidance for pilot studies, and (4) conduct dissemination and outreach to the larger field.
Treatment of Justice-Involved Emerging Adults with Substance Use Disorders
Title: Treatment of Justice-Involved Emerging Adults with Substance Use Disorders
PIs: Ashli Sheidow, PhD & Maryann Davis, PhD
Funding: National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Time Frame: 2016-2021
Description: Multi-PI grant to conduct clinical trial to test the effectiveness of an intervention to reduce antisocial behavior in 17-21 year olds with alcohol and other drug abuse and recent justice system involvement.
