NCT06414993

Leveraging Parents and Peers to Increase Recovery Capital in Emerging Adults

Leveraging Parents and Peer Recovery Supports to Increase Recovery Capital in Emerging Adults With Polysubstance Use: Feasibility, Acceptability, and Scaling up of Launch

• Status: Active Not Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 48 (estimated)
• Sponsor: Chestnut Health Systems · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Emerging adults (EAs; aged 18-26) are the highest-risk population for poly-substance use (misuse of more than one drug), compared to all other age groups and are the least-served population for substance use services. The overarching purpose of this pilot study is to assess whether an innovative services package, Launch, can reasonably work (is feasible) and whether providers and participants like it (acceptability). Launch works with both EAs and a supportive parent (or parental figure) and delivers peer recovery support services (PRSS) to EAs while helping parents use an effective, evidence-based program called contingency management, adapted for EAs, at home with their EA child. This study will also lay the groundwork for a future large-scale trial of Launch services.

Detailed description

The objective of the study is to investigate a scalable service that can be used in rural communities called Launch. Launch is an innovative adaptation of current evidence-based services for Emerging Adults (EAs), ages 18-26 years old with polysubstance use (poly-SU); with a particular emphasis on increasing their recovery capital. Recovery capital is the resources available to promote substance use recovery (e.g., vocational/educational skills, recovery-supportive community). Launch leverages (1) parents of EAs and (2) peer recovery support services (PRSS), while ensuring services are equitable and scalable by using digital technology and existing substance use services infrastructure. Participants will be 48 families that include an EA struggling with poly-SU and a parent or parental figure supportive of their EA child's recovery journey. Families will be randomized to one of three conditions detailed further in the attached materials that include either: (1) Virtual Parent Contingency Management for Emerging Adults (CM-EA) Coach for parents only, (2) In-Person and/or Virtual PRSS for EAs only, or (3) a combination of Virtual Parent CM-EA Coach for parents and In-Person and/or Virtual PRSS for EAs. Quantitative and qualitative measures will assess the feasibility and acceptability of Launch. Additionally, payors/providers of substance use services will be interviewed in this study with the aim of improving future uptake and implementation of the service should it be deemed effective. The aims of the study are as follows: 1. Adapt and evaluate the Launch parent coach and PRSS training protocols/adherence tools. 2. Assess the feasibility and acceptability of (a) a virtual study protocol for recruiting, assessing, and retaining parents and EAs and (b) Launch components. 3. Determine from payors and providers the data needed for future funding and delivery of Launch, as well as develop a site recruitment pool for a rigorous R01 trial.

Conditions

• Polysubstance Drug Use (Indiscriminate Drug Use)

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Contingency Management for Emerging Adults (CM-EA)	After CM-EA is introduced, a contingency contract is developed between a parent and emerging adult (EA) that provides EAs with rewards for negative drug screens and completion of developmentally appropriate goals to build recovery capital, along with disincentives for positive screens or engaging in inappropriate behaviors. Concurrently, parents are taught to conduct random urine drug screens. Additionally, parents are trained to complete functional analyses in collaboration with their EA to identify the EA's triggers for poly-substance use and negative behaviors. Individualized triggers are targeted via self-management planning and drug refusal skills training. At the end of CM-EA, plans are made with the family for sustaining abstinence and improvements in other behaviors.
BEHAVIORAL	Standard Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) +Vocational/Educational (V/E) Skill Building services	Standard PRSS begin by identifying clients' needs in key domains (e.g., transportation, employment). After needs are identified, a peer worker addresses needs through informational resources and community referrals and engages clients in positive recreational activities offering advice, hope and empowerment to encourage steps toward a reduction in substance use and eventual abstinence. When desired, peer workers also link clients to a broader recovery peer community. In addition, the peer worker will dedicate time to increasing recovery capital via improving skills related to V/E advancement using a workbook, Targeting Employment for Emerging Adults: A Toolkit for Mental Health Providers, for which peer workers will be trained.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-06-07
• Primary completion: 2026-07-30
• Completion: 2026-09-01
• First posted: 2024-05-16
• Last updated: 2026-04-09

Locations

8 sites across 1 country: United States