Federal Grant Award Summary

The University of Rochester received a $433,029 Project Grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) to develop and pilot a novel couples-based treatment intervention for dual substance use disorder (DUD) in heterosexual couples. The award, effective March 15, 2026 through February 28, 2028, addresses a critical gap in addiction treatment by creating a specialized intervention tailored to couples where both partners misuse opioids and/or stimulants. The intervention development employs a co-creation approach engaging affected couples, treatment providers, and administrators to ensure stakeholder-informed design.

The research project follows a phased R61/R33 structure integrating the Intervention Mapping + ADAPT (IMA) framework for intervention development with the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) to guide implementation strategies. The R61 phase will conduct formative mixed-methods research to identify key determinants and recovery assets influencing drug use behavior and treatment outcomes among dual-DUD couples, grounded in the Recovery Capital Framework and the Substance Use Disorder Couple System Model. This research directly responds to evidence demonstrating that 30-50% of individuals with DUDs have partners with concurrent DUDs, yet current treatment paradigms remain predominantly individual-focused despite documented reciprocal influence between partners on substance use outcomes and recovery trajectories.