© 2005 Behavioral Health Research Institute of the Southwest
612 Encino Place NE / Albuquerque, NM 87102 / 505.244.3099 / www.bhrcs.org

Ongoing Projects:

Funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, this R01 grant, extends the observation period of a cohort of first-time driving while impaired (DWI) offenders to 15 years. Subjects were first observed when they were court-mandated to undergo screening. For this project, we are locating and interviewing over 1000 of these subjects to measure the progression of alcohol use and other psychiatric disorders; determine long-term rates of driving outcomes; and evaluate two alternative theoretical models in predicting long-term, drinking/driving and traffic outcomes.

This pilot study, funded by Cephalon, Inc., is an open label trial of Vivitrol in combination with an individual compliance enhancement therapy known Medication Management Therapy (MMT)  as an adjunct to Ignition Interlock in the management and treatment of DWI. Subjects will be recruited from a local Interlock provider. This program of research will collect pilot data to determine whether pharmacotherapy, previously recognized as effective, can be successfully combined with existing counseling treatments and sanctions for persons convicted of a repeat DWI alcohol offense. We will investigate the extent to which this combination of sanctions and treatment will significantly decrease attempts to drive after drinking among offenders, and whether the effect persists following discontinuation of Vivitrol. 

• Border Area Mental Health Services, Inc. SPF-SIG Contract: Elizabeth Lilliott, Ph.D., Principal Investigator & Local Evaluator

As part of the Strategic Prevention Framework State Incentive Grant (SFP-SIG),  Border Area Mental Health Services, Inc.(BAMHS) has earned a grant from the state of New Mexico to prevent 15-25 year old alcohol-related crashes using evidence-based approaches. Under the guidance of the local evaluator, BAMHS representatives gather data relevant to local environments of youth drinking, and in collaboration with local stakeholders, and determine ways to change that environment.

• Developing a Framework for a Tribal Comprehensive Impaired Driving Program: Cathleen Willging, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

T he objective of this project, funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration,  is to provide technical assistance to Indian tribes across the United States by : 1) Developing a comprehensive impaired driving program or framework that the tribes can use in developing and implementing program strategies and activities to reduce alcohol-related traffic death and injury in Indian Country; 2) Developing a model grant application that would strengthen impaired driving programs developed and implemented by the tribes; and 3) Developing a final technical report that discuss the alcohol-related traffic problem within Indian Nations, programs and activities that have been (or could be) developed to address this problem, challenges and barriers that need to be considered in the development of effective strategies to reduce impaired driving, and technical or other issues that need to be considered during the development of the project?s products.  

• Cllinical Home Evaluation: Cathleen Willging, Ph.D., Principal Investigator

The objective of this contract, funded by the Technical Assistance Collaborative, is to provide technical assistance to the New Mexico Human Services Department by: 1) Meeting with clinical home subcommittee monthly; 2) Creating data collection instruments for the evaluation?s qualitative component; 3) Undertake a pilot study of administrative database review and refine the procedures; 4) Conduct semi-structured interview/focus groups with intervention participants; 5) Transcribe interview/focus group data; 6) Analyze and write up findings from qualitative data; 7) Serve as a repository for CAFAS data as needed ; 8) Undertake a review of utilization review data provided by ValueOptions; 9) Report on findings

Pending Projects:

• Drug Use, Ethnicity, and Help Seeking Among Rural Youth (R21). National Institutes of Mental Health. Cathleen Willging, PhD, Principal Investigator. 04/01/05 - 03/31/07. $434,500.
• "Long-Term Recovery among Convicted Drunk Drivers" (R01). National Institute on Alcohol Abuse & Alcoholism. Sandra Lapham, Principal Investigator. 11/01/04 - 10/31/08. $3,500,000
• "Validity of Ethnic Identity and Adolescent Drug Use" (R21) National Institute on Drug Abuse. Lawrence Scheier, Principal Investigator. 08/01/04 - 07/31/07. $474,000.
• Randomized Interventions for Substance-Using Kids (R21) National Institute on Drug Abuse. Janet C'de Baca, Principal Investigator.  06/01/04 - 05/31/07 $480,000.