? ? Mid Atlantic Node was among the first participants in the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN). Its Regional Research and Training Center (RRTC) is comprised of distinguished faculty from Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and Virginia Commonwealth University and directors of 8 community treatment programs (CTP's). This partnership between researchers and clinical service providers has been functioning effectively over the past 5 years and has allowed the Node to make substantial contributions to the CTN. Mid Atlantic was Lead Node on the first national multi-site study of abstinence incentives, a study based on the robust findings from research demonstrating the efficacy of contingency management approaches for improving drug abuse treatment outcomes. The CTN study was successfully completed with 800 participants in 14 clinics at 7 nodes nationwide. Results support the effectiveness of incentive approaches for improving during-treatment outcomes in both methadone and psychosocial counseling clinics. The concept proposal in this application follows up on results obtained in CTN to examine effects of incentives on patient retention and drug use when incentives are targeted on attendance rather than abstinence, an approach that appears especially promising for use in outpatient psychosocial counseling treatment. The Mid Atlantic Node is currently leading a second suggested originally by CTP directors. The Job Seekers Workshop provides training in job interview skills to drug abuse patients and examines effects on employment outcomes. The Node has also contributed participating sites to three other national studies and has enrolled a total of 348 subjects in all studies cumulatively. The Node has developed a strong dissemination and training component that is viewed as a significant benefit by local treatment providers. Overall, the Mid Atlantic Node has had a strong record of successful leadership and participation in the national CTN and is well positioned to continue these contributions in the future. ? ?
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