University research team receives $6.9 million grant for intervention study

Brooke Tacsar
Tue, 31 Oct 2023 01:12:07 +0000
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Ohio State researchers received a $6.9 million grant Sept. 20 from the National Institutes of Health to assess intervention and opioid usage. Credit: Lantern File Photo

A team of Ohio State researchers will assess how intervention can prevent opioid usage among youth facing homelessness, thanks to a $6.9 million grant from the National Institutes of Health awarded Sept. 20.

The project, called “Building Social and Structural Connections for the Prevention of Opioid Use Disorder Among Youth Experiencing Homelessness,” focuses on whether evidence-based approaches prevent future substance misuse and impact mental health diagnoses among youth facing homelessness.

“It is looking at more of the social factors that people are experiencing that might have an impact upon their health and might have an impact on using opioids” Jodi Ford, one of two principal investigators on the selected project, said.?

Ford said 300 youth from Star House, Columbus’ only drop-in center for adolescents between the ages of 14 to 24, will be randomly assigned to the intervention approaches and assessed before and after.

The project includes testing the effectiveness of a counseling method focused on motivating and empowering the client, access to community and social support and an advocacy approach that encourages client awareness of their strengths.?

“For all youth during adolescence and young adulthood, it is a period of growth and change and transition,” Ford said. “It is a sensitive period of development where we can actually intervene and potentially have a long-term effect on these kids’ lives.”

The strategies’ effectiveness and cost estimates will be shared with drop-in centers around the country that offer support services to those experiencing homelessness, Ford said.

“The goal would be then if this is effective, it’s cost-effective, then we could actually take what we’ve learned and apply it to other drop-in shelters around the country,” Ford said.

According to recent research published by the Journal of Adolescent Health, roughly 3.5 million young adults between the ages of 18 and 25 and 700,000 youth between the ages of 13 and 17 experience some form of homelessness over the course of a year.?

Ford said with the increasing amount of drug use among youth and lack of existing research, they hope to see how intervening in a sensitive period of development can alter the trajectory of young lives.??

“These kids are on the streets without anybody,” Ford said. “They’re extremely vulnerable but also at an age where if they have assistance and can get connected in being able to have engagement, we can really improve their life.”

The grant they received came from NIH’s Helping to End Addiction Long-term initiative, Ford said. The grant is a large sum because the intervention study requires more time and commitment, payment of salaries for numerous employees at Star House and incentives for participants.?

Jill Gorz, clinical services manager for Star House, said they are collaborating with a team of Ohio State researchers to implement the intervention approaches themselves.

“OSU has never not been woven into our fabric,” Gorz said. “We are frequently involved in some significant projects, this one we were just fortunate enough to be part of and actually assist with the intervention.”

Serving almost 1,300 youth since January, Gorz said she hopes the research project can evaluate what evidence-based approaches all drop-in centers can utilize to assist youth in exiting homelessness and stepping out of survival mode.