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

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.

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.

This study has four different participants: (1) Emerging Adult (EA)/Parent Pairs, (2) Peer Workers, (3) Parent Coaches, and (4) Payors/Providers of Recovery Services.

1. Emerging Adult (EA)/Parent Pairs

   Inclusion Criteria:

   • EA (aged 18-26) who reports (1) misuse of opioids and/or stimulants and at least one other substance in the same week during the past year, (2) at least one SU disorder reported by EA or parent as assessed via the DSM-V Checklist, and (3) has a supportive parent willing to be virtually coached to deliver CM-EA. Participating "parents" can include any supportive adult who is in a financially supportive caregiving role for the EA and has the desire and ability to implement the CM-EA program

   Exclusion Criteria:

   • Only EAs that present with unstable conditions requiring intensive treatment, such as hospital interventions, will be excluded from the sample. Examples of these conditions include participant reports of active suicidal or homicidal intentions or requests for medically supervised detox services.

2. Peer Workers

   Inclusion Criteria:

   • Certified peer worker (aged 18+) willing to be trained in vocational/educational skill building and participate in research protocols with study-enrolled emerging adult clients.

   Exclusion Criteria:

   • None

3. Parent Coaches

   Inclusion Criteria:

   • Individual (18+) with a background in clinical work willing to be trained in Contingency Management for Emerging Adults (CM-EA) and participate in research protocols with study-enrolled parent clients.

   Exclusion Criteria:

   • None

4. Payors/Providers of Recovery Services

Inclusion Criteria:

• Individual (18+) who works at an administrative level at an organization that provides or pays for recovery services that would potentially fund or otherwise support the implementation of Launch services willing to be interviewed.

Exclusion Criteria:

• None