Research Partners
Brandeis University
The Detroit Recovery Project is in collaboration with Brandeis University to conduct the Understanding Pathways to Wellness in Alcohol Recovery in Detroit, Michigan (UPWARD) study.
Harvard University
The Detroit Recovery Project is in partnership with Harvard University to explore the impact of onboarding people who take medications for opioid use disorder to recovery community centers (RCCs).
The first phase consisted of interviews and focus groups with DRP clientele and staff to gain a comprehensive understanding of barriers and facilitators of successful recovery.
Understanding Pathways to Wellness in Alcohol Recovery in Detroit, Michigan (UPWARD) Study
Researchers have found that there is a Black Americans experience high rates of structural inequities, racism, and disparities that negatively impact their recovery from substance use. We hope this study will develop a deeper understanding of what recovery means to Black Americans and how they navigate it.
The first phase consisted of interviews and focus groups with DRP clientele and staff to gain a comprehensive understanding of barriers and facilitators of successful recovery.
Learn More About Phase 1
Researchers first wanted to gain an understanding from Black Americans in Detroit on how they defined the alcohol use disorder recovery pathways and to assess recovery domains (e.g., living environment, social support, relationships). Participants shared their personal definitions of recovery, revealing notable differences in perceptions influenced by both the length of recovery and their gender. Participants who felt they were more stable in their recovery resonated more with lifelong spiritual principles such as living with integrity and humility and recognizing lifestyle changes. On the other hand, participants who identified as being early in their recovery recognize recovery primarily as clean and sober time.
Men described feeling that recovery directly increased their productivity and their self-confidence, whereas women felt that recovery was linked to feelings of freedom and healing from past trauma and suffering. Overall, participants expressed burdens that they encountered in the city of Detroit being Black and low-income residents, that made it increasingly difficult to achieve and sustain recovery from alcohol complications.
Throughout the interviews with DRP clients, there were four consistent themes. (1) Participants identified systemic challenges that influenced their belief that recovery was not obtainable. This caused a delay in seeking recovery. (2) Participants expressed challenges with the cycle of relapsing. (3) Participants who identified as in earlier stages of recovery expressed the importance of social support (e.g. family, recovery coach). (4) The final theme generated was that participants utilized a magnitude of pathways to recovery, including religion, mutual help groups, peer support groups, and environments such as DRP.
Phase 1C
The third agenda consisted of identifying and assessing community indicators that may facilitate or hinder individuals in AUD recovery. This phase required research assistants to conduct quantitative data collection in the city of Detroit by observing the conditions of neighborhoods, proximity to enticing establishments, road conditions, presence of substances, and more. This data is currently being analyzed, and the findings will be summarized and presented in a published paper.
Phase 2 aims to understand if DRP is matching and providing clients with services based on their needs, recovery stage, and other
characteristics.
Learn More About Phase 2
Phase 2
The second aim of the UPWARD study is to describe and assess the provision of AUD recovery support at the Detroit Recovery Project through the assessment of clientele health records. The purpose of this aim is to understand if DRP is matching and providing clients with services based on their needs, recovery stage, and other characteristics. This aim is still in process and analysis will be summarized to community at a later date.
The study is currently in the third phase, which is a digital intervention clinical trial.
Learn More About Phase 3
The study is currently in the third phase, which is the digital intervention clinical trial. This clinical trial aims to provide additional support through digital recovery tools (e.g., smartphone apps) to Black DRP clients in recovery from alcohol problems. The apps were selected based on the themes introduced generated from the prior interviews, client and staff focus groups, and feedback from DRP staff. Selected apps offer participants a variety of options based on the type(s) of support that may resonate with them; including motivation and productivity, journaling and expressing emotions, calming and meditation, guided exercise, and more.
Interested in being a part of this study?
We are looking for participants who are:
- Current DRP clients
- Are adults 18 years old or older
- Identify as Black or African American
- Have been in recovery from alcohol for 6 months or more
- Are interested in learning about using digital resources to support recovery
If this sounds like you, please complete the form below to express interest and someone from our research team will be in touch with you!
Current Study Participants Seeking Assistance
Study participants seeking support or resources may visit the Brandeis University website to access the resource guide or contact Danielle or Talis’sa for assistance.
Harvard Study
Harvard University, in partnership with DRP, is exploring the impact of onboarding people who take medications for opioid use disorder to recovery community centers (RCCs).
What are RCCs?
Recovery community centers (RCCs) are local hubs for peer support and connection to community, treatment, and other resources. RCCs offer community members recovering from substance use problems with peer-led support groups, career and transportation resources, and linkage to healthcare and substance use treatment options in their local community.
This Harvard study consists of three “branches,” of different study types:
Survey Study
Survey Study of Directors of Opioid Treatment Program (OTPs)
Naturalistic Study of People who take Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Test the Effectiveness of RCCs
Survey Study of Directors of Opioid Treatment Program (OTPs)
Because RCCs like DRP are a relatively new emerging resource, researchers first wanted to ascertain whether directors of nearby opioid treatment programs (OTPs) were knowledgeable about their local RCCs and whether they provided referrals to RCCs to their OTP clients. While 12 of the 15 OTP directors surveyed were generally aware of what RCCs were, only 10 reported that they provided their clients with any information about RCCs, and only 6 of the 15 knew where their closest RCC was located.
Naturalistic Study of People who take Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)
Before launching their pilot RCT, researchers at Harvard enrolled people who take MOUD in a naturalistic studyto see how they were doing in recovery over the course of one year. Participants completed various types of assessments: online surveys, virtual interviews, and saliva tests. Researchers found that saliva tests often produced invalid readings and discontinued the use of saliva verification tests. Interviews and surveys, however, provided researchers with feedback for designing an onboarding process for connecting people who take MOUDs to RCCs in the next study.
Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial to Test the Effectiveness of RCCs
The pilot RCT will seek to enroll 128 into two intervention groups: Group A and Group B. In the first month of the study, Group A will be asked to visit their local RCC twice and Group B will be asked to engage in a recovery supportive activity of their own choice twice. This pilot study will demonstrate whether the randomization procedure to the two groups is feasible and acceptable.