In a new R61/R33 study funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, Dr. Dawn Goddard-Eckrich, along with Drs. Nabila El-Bassel and Louisa Gilbert, seeks to address the lack of evidence-based interventions that identify intimate partner violence (IPV) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms among women with opioid use disorder (OUD) or substance use disorder (SUD) and link them to appropriate services.
The new intervention, WINGS+++, builds on the original WINGS intervention, an evidence-based screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment service tool designed to identify intimate partner and gender based violence among women who use drugs. WINGS+++ is an integrated 3-session screening, brief intervention, and referral resource tool (SBIRT) that includes an evidence-based IPV SBIRT tool developed by the investigative team, which will be combined with a novel tool to identify IPV-related PTSD and a widely used OUD/SUD screening tool and service coordination platform. WINGS+++ will also include evidence-based peer navigation, which will enhance linkage to services that may best synergistically address IPV, PTSD, and OUD/SUD.
WINGS+++ leverages a powerful coalition of community partners, including, Columbia University Information Technology, New York Matters opioid linkage to care platform as well as Fearless, Cornerstone and Catholic Charities of Orange County, who provide direct access to women in need and deep community knowledge. The research team will work in collaboration with Dr. Nasim Sabounchi (CUNY SPH), Dr. Laura Starbird (UPenn Nursing), and Dr. David Lounsbury (Einstein) to conduct Group Model Building sessions that ensure community voice drives the intervention design, while our HEALing Communities Study overdose prevention coalition provides the infrastructure for real-time data tracking and community engagement throughout Orange County.
"We're incredibly excited about WINGS+++ because it represents an innovative step forward in addressing the complex syndemic of opioid use disorder, intimate partner violence, and PTSD," said PI Dr. Goddard-Eckrich. "This comprehensive, community-based approach builds on the growing body of research in this critical area while creating a scalable intervention model that can improve treatment engagement and pathways to recovery. Our ultimate goal is to better understand how to support women facing these multiple, interconnected challenges while reducing overdose deaths and improving outcomes across the full spectrum of issues they face."
Are you a community organization in Orange County serving women affected by substance use or intimate partner violence? We're seeking additional community partners to join our coalition. Contact our research team to learn how your organization can participate in this life-saving intervention.