The Consortium on Addiction Recovery Science (COARS)
CoARS Homepage
Welcome to the COARS website! This website provides you with updates and information on the growing science on recovery support services.
The Consortium on Addiction Recovery Science (COARS) is funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse and coordinated by Dr. Aaron Hogue (PI). It is an example of NIDA’s investment in increasing our understanding of recovery support services. In 2018, NIDA announced a new funding opportunity: RFA-DA-20-014; Research Networks for the Study of Recovery Support Services for Persons Treated with Medications for Opioid Use Disorder.
Five research teams were funded, whose collective mission was to advance the science on recovery support services through research networking, training and mentoring students and early career scientists, and building community partnerships. In 2022, NIDA increased its investment in recovery support science by announcing two new RFAs: (1) fund additional research teams to build research and training infrastructure and (2) fund preliminary studies testing the effectiveness of recovery support services. NIDA also provided three years of funding to COARS to consolidate the partnership among the eight R24 and three R34-funded research teams. This website is dedicated to sharing information on our progress, and to invite and enable participation.
Our goals over the next three years are:
Thank you for visiting the COARS website and sharing our enthusiasm for recovery support services research!
Teams
Learn more about the original five teams here:
| Project | Topic | PIs | NIH Project Information |
| Advancing the Science on Recovery Community Centers | Recovery community centers | John Kelly and Bettina Hoeppner | NIH Website |
| The JEAP Initiative | Recovery support services for justice-involved and emerging adult populations | Ashli Sheidow and Michael McCart | NIH Website |
| FIRST Research Network | Family-based recovery support services | Aaron Hogue | NIH Website |
| Studies to Advance Recovery Support (STARS) | Recovery support services in rural settings | Robert Pack and Kimberly Horn | NIH Website |
| Innovations in Recovery Through Infrastructure Support | Integrated networks of care | Jay Unick and Michelle Tuten | NIH Website |
Funded Projects
The 2022 funded projects can be viewed here.
Newly funded R24s:
| Project | Topic | PIs | NIH Project Information |
| Collaborative Hub for Emerging Adult Recovery Research (CHEARR) | Recovery support services, particularly clinical continuing care, for emerging adults who take or who have taken medications for opioid use disorders | Kristyn Zajac | NIH Website |
| Peer Recovery Innovation Network (PRIN) | TBA | Jennifer Potter and Robert Ashford | NIH Website |
| The Infrastructure for Studying Treatment and Addiction Recovery Residences (I-STARR) | Enhancing effectiveness research on recovery housing for persons prescribed medication for opioid use disorder | Amy Mericle and Carmen Masson | NIH Website |
Newly funded R34s:
| Project | Affiliation | PIs | Updates |
| Planning Grant for a Multi-Site Trial to Examine the Effectiveness of Recovery Community Centers Serving Black Communities to Support Persons Using Medications for Opioid Use Disorder | Recovery Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital
Our community partners are the Detroit Recovery Project and the Northern Ohio Recovery Association |
Bettina Hoeppner and John Kelly | We are readying study materials for two studies at this time: (1) naturalistic longitudinal study of people using MOUDs with and without RCC support; and (2) survey study of clinics providing MOUDs regarding their interactions with RCCs |
| Peer Recovery Support Services for Individuals in Recovery Residences on MOUD | Maryland Treatment Centers | Marc Fishman and Kevin Wenzel | TBA |
| Development of an Integrated Intervention Involving Recovery Coaching and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Opioid Use Disorder | Clemson University | Alain Harris Litwin and Moonseong Heo | TBA |
Events
Upcoming seminars
- Recovery community centers: every first Friday of the month, via Zoom – find details here
Upcoming methodology group meetings
- Recovery science measures group: Please email Craig Henderson (CEH003@SHSU.EDU) to join; next meeting is Tuesday, February 21, 2023, 2:00-2:50 EST
- Stay tuned – planning has begun for our first recovery science conference, to be convened online in the fall of 2023
News and Updates
Coming soon!
