Drazdowski K23

Reducing Opioid and Other Drug Use in Justice-Involved Emerging Adults using Paraprofessional Coaches (with and without Lived Experience) to Deliver Effective Services in a Non-Treatment Setting

Principal Investigator: Tess K. Drazdowski, PhD

This 5-year K23 “career development award” was awarded to Dr. Drazdowski from the National Institute of Drug Abuse. The intent of these awards is to help new investigators develop into independent, NIH-funded researchers. The award includes salary support for Dr. Drazdowski, annual funding for her to conduct pilot research, and mentoring from Dr. Ashli Sheidow, Dr. Jason Chapman, Dr. Michael McCart, and other external collaborators. Dr. Drazdowski will focus her training on conducting health services research on emerging adults involved in the justice system, and particularly on the use of layperson “coaches” (recovery peer supports) within the justice system to improve substance use and other outcomes for this population.