Quality Substance Abuse Treatment

Curtis VanderWaal (Social Work) and Duane McBride (Behavioral Science)

Development of a Federal R15 Grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse to examine the role of Latino churches in providing referrals, support, and access to quality substance abuse treatment

The primary purpose of this project is to develop an R15 National Institute of Health grant application that will examine the role of Latino churches in providing substance abuse education and access to quality treatment and support services for vulnerable Latino substance abusers. This study will explore issues of availability and access to drug treatment for a high-risk population, an important research area identified by the NIDA Blue Ribbon Task Force on Health Services Research. The objectives of this project will be accomplished through primary survey data collection and analysis, secondary data analysis, and in-depth interviews and focus groups. Findings will result in a better understanding of the role of Latino churches in providing referrals, support, and access to quality substance abuse treatment.