OUR RESEARCH
Addictive health disorders have a broad impact on the lives of those who suffer from these conditions, as well as their families and communities. PARCKA staff engage in research in a number of different areas that span the continuum of health care, treatment, and services. Investigators specialize in behavioral health services research, which includes epidemiological, observational, experimental, quasi-experimental, implementation, and evaluative research. Recognizing the vast impact of addiction, PARCKA investigators focus on populations that have disproportionate risk for substance use, such as individuals who are homeless, veterans, suffer from chronic pain or psychiatric illness, and/or identify as LGBTQIA+.
The Greater Intermountain Node
The Greater Intermountain Node (GIN) is housed within PARCKA and leverages robust institutional commitment and infrastructure, institutional centers focused on addiction-related research, and training programs with strong regional and national connections to clinicians, educators, other institutions and organizations, and community stakeholders. The GIN brings particular expertise in opioid addiction research to the Utah, regional, and national communities. The following studies are currently participating within the GIN:
- CTN-0080: Medication Treatment for Opioid-dependent Expecting Mothers (MOMs): A Pragmatic Randomized Trial Comparing Two Buprenorphine Formulations
- CTN-0099: Emergency Department-INitiated BupreNOrphine VAlidaTIOn Network Trial (ED-INNOVATION)
- CTN-0100: Optimizing Retention, Duration, and Discontinuation Strategies for Opioid Use Disorder (RDD)
- CTN-0101: The Healthy Living Study
- CTN-0116: Implementing a Pharmacist-Integrated Collaborative Model of Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (PharmICO) Study
- CTN-0121: Integrated Care and Treatment for Severe Infectious Diseases and Substance Use Disorders (SUD) among Hospitalized Patients.
- CTN-0138: Adaptation and Implementation of a Community Pharmacy-Based Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Opioid Risk Assessment Tool (PharmTool)
BINDeR-Tx
Through a collaboration between Castleview Hospital and the University of Utah (U of U), this project will implement an ED-led low-threshold buprenorphine induction and naloxone distribution program—combined with warm hand-off referral to continued treatment (BINDeR-Tx).
COAPS
The Co-Use of Opioid Medications and Alcohol Prevention Study (COAPS) involves revision of and participation in an existing alcohol intervention adaptation session, providing the expertise needed for clinical trials associated with the intervention.
CONDUIT
The goal of Consortium to Disseminate and Understand Implementation of Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder (CONDUIT), formerly known as “APEX”, is to address the “VA Priority Goal” of improving access to medication treatment for OUD (MOUD). In VISN19, our focus is to specifically improve access in VA primary care settings and community-based outpatient clinics (CBOC).
HOPE 2.0
The Healthy Opioid Prescription Engagement (HOPE) study 2.0, or HOPE 2.0, is a single-blinded randomized controlled trial to test the efficacy of Brief Intervention Medication Therapy Management (BI-MTM). Potential participants will be identified and screened at 14 University of Utah community pharmacies, or through the Human Subjects Research Tool (HSRT).
PROMPT
The Prevention of Methamphetamine Use Among Postpartum Women Trial (PROMPT) is a double-blinded placebo-controlled study for postpartum individuals with methamphetamine use disorder. Eligible participants will be randomized to 400mg oral micronized progesterone daily or placebo. The primary objective of this study is to assess feasibility, safety, and preliminary efficacy of micronized progesterone to decrease return to methamphetamine use among postpartum women with methamphetamine use disorder.
PT-IN-MIND
PT-IN-MIND refines an intervention that combines physical therapy and mindfulness interventions using the principles of Mindfulness-Oriented Recovery Enhancement (MORE) for patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain and long-term opioid treatment, then assesses the competency with which physical therapists provide the combined intervention and, finally, and evaluates the feasibility of this combined intervention in preparation for PT-IN-MIND’s future clinical trial.
SCOUTT
The goals and objectives Stepped Care for Opioid Use Train the Trainer (SCOUTT) are focused on implementing a comprehensive plan to train interdisciplinary teams in Primary Care, General Mental Health, Pain Clinics and SUD Specialty Care clinics to deliver a stepped care model of medication treatment for opioid use disorder (M-OUD) to Veterans at his/her preferred care facility.
STORC
Safety, Tolerability, and Outcomes of Velpatasvir/Sofosbuvir in Treatment of Chronic Hepatitis C Virus during Pregnancy (STORC) is a Phase 4, single-arm, open label cohort study of treatment for chronic HCV infection during pregnancy. Eligible participants who are between 20-30 weeks pregnant, will receive treatment for their HCV with a 12-week course of combination tablet Sofosbuvir/Velpatasvir (SOF/VEL). The primary objectives of STORC are to evaluate the sustained virologic response in pregnant individuals 12 weeks after completing treatment and to evaluate the impact that SOF/VEL on gestational age at delivery. This is a multi-site study recruiting approximately 100 pregnant participants.
UT MED. CANNABIS RESEARCH
The goals of this project are to (1) establish an Evaluation Advisory Board that includes community members and health care providers who will work with our research/evaluation expert team. In collaboration with this Board, our team will (2) answer immediate critical questions of program effectiveness and patient benefit using a mixed methods prospective evaluation framework.