The proposed program objectives are to: 1) Recruit and maintain a steady state of 11 highly diverse pre-doctoral trainees in our established training program focused on health services research (HSR) related to addiction, HIV, HCV and implementation science; 2) Mentor trainees in the conduct of clinical, outcomes, and implementation studies in HSR, particularly related to integrated approaches to service delivery for substance use, HIV, and HCV; and 3) Prepare trainees to disseminate research findings and translate them into practice and policy as they launch careers in addiction-related HSR. Major advances in HIV/AIDS treatment have made HIV a chronic, lifelong disease requiring ongoing care and management; new developments in HCV offer dramatic opportunity for cure; and new models of treatment for addiction have created the opportunity for significantly improved outcomes in the midst of an opioid overdose epidemic. Addiction, HIV and HCV commonly co-occur, requiring integration of care; few researchers have been prepared to pursue this research agenda. We will continue a successful interdisciplinary pre- doctoral training program, “Integrated Care for Addiction, HIV and HCV Research and Education (ICAHRE)” within the PhD program in Health Services Research in the Department of Health Law, Policy & Management (HLPM) at the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), in partnership with the Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC). The formal training period will encompass the coursework phase of the trainee's doctoral degree program, requiring HSR theory and methods courses, enhanced by courses in addictions and/or infectious disease, and implementation science. ICAHRE includes research seminars, research rotations, and both didactic and experiential training in the communication of science to multiple audiences. Mentored research training will lead to grant submission and dissertation (PhD) completion. Given BUSPH’s focus on the underserved, long track record of productive scholarship, strength in training and mentoring, history of interdisciplinary collaboration, and institutional resources and leadership, we will continue to train researchers to address some of our nation’s most challenging health care problems. Our faculty brings substantial knowledge in addiction, HIV, HCV and different approaches to HSR, including using both qualitative and quantitative research methods.

Addiction, HIV and HCV commonly co-occur which requires integration of care, and few researchers have been prepared to pursue this research agenda. We will continue a successful interdisciplinary pre-doctoral training program that encompasses the coursework phase of the trainee's doctoral degree program, requiring health services research theory and methods, enhanced by courses in addictions and/or infectious disease and implementation science, and including research rotations bringing trainees into clinical settings to apply mixed methods research. We are preparing trainees to disseminate research findings and translate them into practice and policy in these important areas.