Federal Project Grant Award Summary

The University of Utah received a $423,500 Project Grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) to develop and test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a remote collaborative care-facilitated contingency management-cardiac rehabilitation program for individuals with methamphetamine-associated cardiopulmonary conditions. The award, dated July 15, 2026, with a completion date of June 30, 2028, addresses the growing public health crisis of methamphetamine use and its severe cardiovascular consequences, particularly in rural populations. The program will integrate cardiology and addiction medicine expertise through a collaborative care model supported by intensive care management and peer navigation, utilizing evidence-based contingency management (financial incentives) to encourage participation in structured exercise rehabilitation programs.

The research deliverables will include clinical validation of an integrated treatment approach designed to improve care engagement and quality of life outcomes for patients with methamphetamine-associated congestive heart failure and methamphetamine-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension. The program specifically targets adaptability to rural settings where geographic barriers limit access to specialty medical and addiction treatment services, directly addressing the significant morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs associated with these conditions, such as the 840 percent inflation-adjusted increase in methamphetamine-associated congestive heart failure hospitalization costs in California from 2008-2018.