The Institute for
Treatment
and Services Research
The primary goal of the Institute for Treatment and Services Research (ITSR) is to advance our knowledge on the efficacy and effectiveness of substance abuse interventions. Primary methods to achieve this goal include clinical trials designed to implement and evaluate a broad variety of interventions and services aimed at reducing substance use and its many negative consequences on the individual and on society. Other research methods include prevalence surveys and qualitative studies. Specific research domains that ITSR addresses include:
- Therapeutic processes and outcomes of innovative interventions such as self-help for dually-diagnosed persons, peer mentoring for HIV-affected youth, job placement for methadone patients, and training substance abuse treatment providers to improve the delivery of HCV services;
- Health service needs of underserved populations such as sex workers and homeless and transgendered persons;
- Prevalence of comorbidities associated with substance abuse such as mental illness, infectious diseases and chronic pain;
- Through the Center for the Study of Addictions
and Recovery
(C-STAR), ITSR also conducts research designed to gain greater knowledge of the processes involved in the development of addictions and the achievement of stable recovery.
Most ITSR research activities include collaboration with major health care institutions, community treatment programs and community-based organizations.
Senior ITSR staff include Andrew Rosenblum, PhD, Director; Alexandre Laudet, PhD, Deputy Director (and C-STAR Director); Chunki Fong, MS; Larry Nuttbrock, PhD; Nelson Tiburcio, PhD