Engaging Family Members During Early SUD Treatment: A Hybrid Trial

Overview

The goal of this study is a fractional factorial optimization trial to optimize engagement in a CRAFT program for family members with loved ones in outpatient treatment for a substance use disorder. This study aims to identify family engagement strategies that are feasible, acceptable, and appropriate and effective in increasing family member initiation with CRAFT. Participants will complete an iterative, online process where they will evaluate and rank different engagement strategies to identify the most optimal in increasing engagement and then participate in an optimization trial to identify which strategies were most effective in increasing family member engagement.

Family members (FMs) of people with substance use disorder (SUD)-including biological, extended, or chosen family-face chronic stress and are at high risk for mental and physical health problems. The impact is worsened by stigma, guilt, shame, and self-blame that often accompany a loved one's substance use, leading to social isolation and uncertainty about how to support recovery. Although FMs are motivated to help with treatment navigation, many do not seek support for themselves. Programs like Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) can support FMs and provide tools to improve their own lives while assisting their loved one's recovery. While CRAFT is well-established in community settings for increasing a family member's initiation into treatment, its applicability in clinical SUD settings is less clear. It remains unknown whether CRAFT can enhance patient treatment retention in clinical settings and whether FMs who might not seek care would participate. To advance the science of engaging and supporting families impacted by SUD, investigators will (1) Conduct an iterative online process with FMs and clinic staff to identify potential family engagement strategies that community health centers (CHCs) can deliver that are effective, feasible, acceptable, and appropriate, and (2) Test those strategies using a fractional factorial trial.