IGSR Reports
By Topic
Comparative Studies
Drug Courts
Consent2Share
(2015)The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been working with the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) to develop standards and guidelines for enabling data segmentation and management of patient consent preferences. This partnership led to the creation of Consent2Share, an open source tool for consent management and data segmentation designed to integrate with existing electronic health records (EHR) and health information exchange systems. IGSR worked with Prince George's County Health Department under a nationally competitive agreement with SAMHSA to pilot the exchange of sensitive health information among behavioral and physical health providers through the implementation of Consent2Share within their current regional data exchange and EHR infrastructure. The successful pilot supported the SAMHSA/ONC initiative and provided Prince George's County patients meaningful choices for sharing their health information.
Measuring Drug Court Structure and Operations: Key Components and Beyond
(Publication: Criminal Justice and Behavior, 37: 933-950)
(2010)- Criminal Recidivism in Three Models of Mandatory Drug Treatment
(Publication: Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 27: 313-323)
(2004)
Health and Aging
Wealth and the Health of Older Black Women in the United States
(Publication: Oxford University Press)
(2018)- Body mass index and mobility limitations: An analysis of middle-aged and older Black, Hispanic, and White women in the U.S.
(2018)
Health Information and Technology
Wealth and the Health of Older Black Women in the United States
(Publication: Oxford University Press)
(2018)Use of Advanced Computer Analytics to Research Substance Use Disorder Treatment
(2015)Through a seed grant from the University of Maryland Division of Research, IGSR and University of Maryland's Institute for Advanced Computer Studies (UMIACS) are exploring the use of next generation computer analytic methods to study outcomes of substance use disorder treatment. This in-depth retrospective analysis employs an existing database of client treatment records in the State of Maryland Automated Tracking (SMART) system and enables researchers to examine how multiple client and treatment variables affect the outcome of therapy. The project will test the use of cutting-edge computer analytic tools to gain insights regarding treatment of heroin addiction.
Use of Virtual Reality Technology in Treatment of Reentering Offenders
(2015)IGSR and University of Maryland's Center for Addictions, Personality, and Emotion Research (CAPER) are testing the use of avatar-assisted therapy for substance use disorder treatment with individuals reentering the community from incarceration. This innovative pilot study, funded by a seed grant from the University's Division of Research, will not only serve to generate valuable preliminary data for future investigations, but also lay the foundation for future substance use disorder interventions geared toward providing greater accessibility and retention among individuals of this highly stigmatized, vulnerable population.
Evaluation of the AVATAR Substance Abuse Treatment Program
(2012)Outpatient substance use disorder treatment typically entails a series of sessions held between a counselor and clients for the purpose of supporting sobriety and recovery. Although outpatient treatment programs offer greater affordability, flexibility, and privacy than traditional inpatient programs, significant barriers to treatment remain including negative social attitudes and inaccessibility of treatment. Avatar-assisted therapy, a newly developed interactive online treatment platform, seeks to address these barriers. Maryland's Behavioral Health Administration in collaboration with a private treatment provider piloted use of avatar-assisted treatment for individuals with substance use disorders, and IGSR is evaluating the effectiveness of the pilot program.
Follow-Up Evaluation of the Electronic Filing Pilot Project Prince George's County District Court
(2010)Maryland Office of Problem-Solving Courts and SMART
(2008)IGSR is providing, operating, and maintaining software and hardware, as well as providing the training and technical support required for the implementation of the Statewide Maryland Automated Record Tracking system (SMART) as the case management automated tracking system for all drug courts in Maryland.
Statewide Maryland Automated Record Tracking System (SMART)
(2008)IGSR, with funding from the Maryland Behavioral Health Administration (BHA), is customizing, programming, enhancing, implementing, supporting, managing, and maintaining a Statewide Maryland Automated Record Tracking system (SMART) based upon the federal Web Infrastructure for Treatment Services (WITS) project. SMART programming includes additions and modifications to existing WITS screens, database structure, and functionality necessary to meet BHA data and outcome tracking within Maryland. The WITS project is a federally developed software package that has modules that aid states receiving Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment (SAPT) Federal Block Grant Funding in the collection and coordination of treatment episode data. The data are needed for BHA reporting to the Health and Human Services/Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), which is the SAPT Block Grant funding source. The SMART software and system are designed to track data the state collects in the federal Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) format and allow BHA to meet federal data submission requirements from the Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
Information to Power Innovation in Maryland (IPIM) Substance Abuse Treatment
(2008)
In the Information to Power Innovation in Maryland (IPIM) project, IGSR researchers developed and tested a substance-abuse practice improvement system in several treatment provider sites around the state. The Feedback Assessment and Capabilities System (FACS) employed data available from the SMART IT system and organizational surveys administered to managers and staff. Program administrators and staff in four sites participated in a training workshop devoted to reviewing their site's FACS results regarding use of evidence-based practices and organizational strengths and weaknesses. Workshop attendees developed action plans to address the FACS results. Researchers tracked staff participation in the protocol and progress on action plans compared the impacts of the protocol at the four experimental sites and four control sites on client retention, staff-reported practices, and organizational measures of effectiveness.