Peer to Peer Engagement for Emerging Adult Treatment (P2P)

The P2P project is designed to determine whether the use of peer recovery supports can reduce dropout among emerging adults starting treatment for substance use problems.

Emerging adults (defined as ages 18 to 25) have higher rates of substance use disorders than any other age group and have been hit particularly hard by the opioid crisis. They also have high rates of dropout from substance use treatment services compared to other age groups, leading to higher rates of continued substance abuse and overdose, as well worse clinic productivity, agency income, and waitlists. Peer recovery supports, defined as similar age peers with lived experience with substance use treatment, have the potential to help engage and retain emerging adults in treatment. Peer recovery supports will be provided by the grant to teach straightforward skills to help emerging adults overcome barriers to treatment.

Ten different sites (locations) that provide substance use treatment services will participate in this study. All ten sites will receive two years of free peer recovery support services for their emerging adult patients at some point during the course of the project; these peer recovery supports will be trained and supervised by our research team, in collaboration with the sites’ clinical supervisors. We will compare the rates of retention and attendance of emerging adult patients prior to and after the initiation of the peer recovery support services. The goal is to observe whether adding peer recovery supports services increases retention of emerging adult patients in each individual clinic, as well as identifying specific risk factors for dropout in this age group.

Year Project Began: 2021
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse

Principal Investigator:

• Kristyn Zajac, Ph.D.

Co-Investigator:

• Jacqueline Bruce, Ph.D.

Formerly Affiliated Co-Investigators:

• Ashli J. Sheidow, Ph.D.
• Jason E. Chapman, Ph.D.