Training Program in Adolescent Substance Use Disorders and Co-Occurring Mental and Behavioral Disorders

Project Summary The NIDA T32 Training Program in Adolescent Substance Use Disorders and Co-Occurring Mental and Behavioral Disorders, established five years ago, has become increasingly vital due to rising youth mental health disorders and evolving substance use patterns. Rates of mental health disorders in youth have increased and patterns of substance use have changed. Our training mission aligns with the current U.S. Surgeon General’s focus on youth mental health and NIDA’s Strategic Plan on training the next generation of scientists and accelerating research on the interaction of substance use and related comorbidities. It also addresses the AAP-AACAP- CHA’s declaration of a national emergency in child and adolescent mental health. Our program has adeptly addressed training in the complexities of research on SUD, mental health disorders, and how they co-occur. With a team of multidisciplinary research faculty, renowned for their expertise in adolescent substance abuse and related mental health disorders, the program trained 9 predoctoral and 6 postdoctoral fellows from several disciplines. T32 graduates have procured positions at top internship and training sites, as academic researchers, clinician researchers, principal investigators of NIH-funded grants, and producers of high-quality empirical studies. The renewal moves forward the program's comprehensive leadership, diverse training experiences, administrative oversight, and continuous enhancement of trainee resources. The Training Steering Committee, the External Advisory Committee, and exceptional Institutional Support have played pivotal roles in maintaining high standards and updating the program to meet emerging challenges in the field. Lessons learned from the initial funding cycle have led to a focus on training 15 predoctoral students from various related disciplines relevant to substance and mental health in youth in the renewal. Each trainee, under the guidance of a Primary Mentor and supported by Affiliated Faculty, will craft personalized training roadmaps through Individual Development Plans that focus on four key domains: developmental psychopathology, preventive interventions and dissemination, treatment and dissemination, and health services practices and implementation. Relevant additional training in neuroscience and advanced statistics is incorporated into the program along with robust training in in the responsible conduct of research and methods for enhancing reproducibility. As we seek renewal, our vision is to serve as a national exemplar in training the next generation of researchers in the intersection of substance use and adolescent mental health. The renewed T32 program at FIU will further expand its impact, integrating novel research methodologies and emerging trends in adolescent SUD and co-occurring disorders.