DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Responding to RFA-DA-10-009, this application seeks renewal of the Pacific Region Node of the National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) to continue improving the quality and delivery of addiction treatments that can be implemented efficiently by community-based treatment providers (CTPs). The ongoing and future research, training, and dissemination activities of the Pacific Region Node, led by Walter Ling, M.D., will serve the CTN mission "to improve the quality of drug abuse treatment throughout the country, using science as a vehicle." The Node will continue to contribute significantly to the CTN effort by its leadership and participation in innovative concept development, rigorous conduct of research, efficient management, and effective dissemination of CTN products. In the most recent funding period, for example, Node participants developed two protocols and currently lead protocol development of CTN0048, Cocaine Use Reduction with Buprenorphine (CURB). Node personnel will continue to develop and disseminate training materials and manuals for use across the CTN, to plan and host CTN-oriented conferences, and disseminate CTN-based findings through trainings, presentations, publications, and Internet-based methods. The Node's activities will advance the science and increase broad implementation of research-proven treatments in a collaborative manner with other nodes, CTN CTPs, and other providers and researchers worldwide. This renewal proposes adding two CTPs to the existing five, increasing geographic presence and racial/ethnic inclusion as well as ensuring access to every possible setting, modality, special population, and drug abuse problem. The Pacific Region Node intends to accelerate development and testing of new medications and behavioral therapies that can be integrated to achieve better outcomes. Innovation, research pacing, and relevance will be enhanced by increasing interaction with provider groups and with researchers examining potential therapies, exploiting the Node's existing partnerships while building new collaborations and involving more broad-based settings. Renewal of the Pacific Region Node will strengthen CTN efforts through collaborative work with NIDA, CTN participants, and other stakeholders.

PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: To promote use of research-proven addiction treatments, the Pacific Region Node will continue its work to incorporate more broad-based settings for CTN research, resulting in greater inclusion of and service to populations that are not comprehensively served by traditional CTPs. The Node will continue collaboration with the overall CTN to identify and address addiction challenges, public health needs, and research issues.