Substance Use Policy Evaluation and Research (SUPER)

Moud Decision-Making (JRIG)
We are funded by a grant from the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN), a National Institutes of Health HEAL Initiative, to accomplish two aims: 1) to describe courts’ case-by-case decision-making processes regarding medications for opioid use disorder; and 2) to identify factors involved in court team decisions about medications for opioid use disorder. This is a sequential exploratory mixed methods project, with data collection starting in April 2022. Our project is informed by Lipsky’s street-level bureaucracy framework.

Evaluation of the Florida Opioid Initiative

Our workgroup has been the primary research arm for the Florida Courts Opioid Initiative, led by the Office of the State Courts Administrator. We have conducted statewide surveys of court staff beliefs, social norms, perceptions of self-efficacy and policies related to medications for opioid use disorder. The research approach is based on the theory of reasoned action and planned behavior. We have also examined the relationship between training about medications for opioid use disorder and beliefs.

Drug Court Evaluation
We are evaluating a three-year, $1.5 million grant funded by the Bureau of Justice Administration and awarded to the Florida Office of the State Courts Administrator. The project evaluation involves examining the implementation process, implementation outcomes, and health service outcomes of evidence-based substance use disorder treatment, parenting engagement interventions, and cultural competency practices in five family dependency drug courts across the state of Florida. Our research is guided by the Exploration, Preparation, Implementation & Sustainment (EPIS) Framework and the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention standards for program evaluation.

Virtual Court Services
Through a collaboration with Wayne State University, we sought to understand court staff perceptions of virtual versus in-person court services using surveys. Specific aims include comparing perceptions of client attendance and engagement in virtual hearings versus in-person hearings.

Designing Interactive Education about Medication for Opioid Use Disorder for Judges and Court Staff

In collaboration with the Office of the State Courts Administrator and software vendor Enfoglobe LLC, our research team has assisted with the design of educational modules about medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), targeting judges and court staff in Florida. These modules offer a variety of interactive quizzes, animations, and videos, as well as information and resources to assist and engage judges, court staff and stakeholders in the field.

Access to the portal with interactive tools is freely available to Florida judges, court staff, and interested stakeholders.

Overdose Trends
In collaboration with Wayne State University, we are examining trends in opioid-involved deaths, as well as racial disparities in overdose calls to emergency medical services.

Court Medical Marijuana Policies
Our JCOIN LEAP Investigator funded project will use a sequential exploratory mixed method study to examine Florida dependency court staff policies and attitudes toward medical marijuana.