CHESS Receives Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge Award

Ohio has been among the states hardest hit by the opioid epidemic, with one of the highest opioid-related overdose death rate in the nation. The state is also leading the nation in seeking  and developing new ways to address the opioid crisis.  One strategy, the Ohio Opioid Technology Challenge, is a three-phase competition to find technology-based solutions to diagnose, prevent, and treat opioid use.  Phase 2 of the OOTC, the Challenge Phase, drew 50 proposals from across the globe; the top 12 proposals each received prizes of $200,000 each in fall 2018.   

Among the winners? The Center for Health Enhancement Systems Studies (CHESS), which is also home to NIATx and the Great Lakes ATTC, Great Lakes MHTTC, and Great Lakes PTTC.

The award will be used to test ways that addiction treatment agencies can increase use of A-CHESS, the smartphone app that CHESS developed to prevent relapse of substance use.  A-CHESS was first developed as a recovery support tool for people with alcohol use disorder. Research supports its effectiveness in reducing risky drinking; current projects are testing its effectiveness in opioid-use disorder treatment combined with medication-assisted treatment.

During the Project Phase, The CHESS team is collaborating with a change team from OneEighty in Wooster, OH.  OneEighty has been involved with NIATx projects for many years and is well-versed in the NIATx Model of process improvement.  Final proposals for Phase 3 of the Challenge are due on July 15, 2019.