Program Directors and Representative Publications

Director: Sharon M. Hall, Ph.D.
Sharon Hall, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. Her research is on the treatment of drug abuse, especially tobacco dependence, and better understanding the processes of change through randomized clinical trials and related studies. She is especially interested in the treatment of comorbidities in special populations, and the complexities that comorbidities introduce into treatment. Her current studies reflect these interests. Two ongoing studies focus on extended treatment of tobacco: (1) a study of extended behavioral relapse prevention and bupropion treatment for chronic smokers; (2) a study of extended, age-specific relapse prevention and nicotine replacement treatment (NRT) for older smokers that studies both efficacy and cost-effectiveness. Her group is also collaborating with others in the department to study the pharmacogenetics in tobacco dependence treatment.

She directs an NIH-funded Center Grant, “Treatment of Complex Patients: Emphasis on Nicotine.” The Center sponsors educational events, a pilot studies fund, and a competitive grant program for junior investigators. It also provides statistical support to a variety of investigators doing work in drug abuse. The Center has five scientific components: (1) a study of smoking treatment in HIV care clinics; (2) a study of smoking treatment in the context of alcohol treatment; (3) a study of changes in organizational knowledge, attitude and beliefs about smoking treatment in community organizations as a function of participation in smoking treatment research; (4) a statistical component that studies statistical techniques relevant to drug abuse treatment research; (5) a developmental component that supports a pilot studies program for postdoctoral trainees and junior faculty, and a competitive funding program for junior faculty.

She has strong interests in training. She is the Program Director of this NIDA-funded Postdoctoral Training Program in Drug Abuse Treatment and Services Research, and mentors psychiatric residents interested in behavioral and pharmacological treatment of drug dependence. She also has been active in mentoring faculty. In June 2003, she was awarded the George Sarlo Prize for Excellence in Teaching from the UCSF Department of Psychiatry.

Key words: nicotine dependence, cigarette smoking, clinical trials, psychopharmacology, behavioral interventions

Hall, S.M., Tsoh, J.Y., Prochaska, J.J., Eisendrath, S., Rossi, J.S., Redding, C.A., Rosen, A.B., Meisner, M., Humfleet, G.L., Gorecki, J.A. (2006). Treatment for cigarette smoking amont depressed mental health outpatients: A randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Public Health, 96(10), 1808-1814.

Haaga, D.A., Hall, S.M., and Haas, A. (2005). Participant factors in treating substance use disorders. In L. Castonguay & L. Beutler (Eds.), Principles of Therapeutic Change that Work. 275-292. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.

Sorensen, J.L., Masson, C.L., Delucchi, K., Sporer, K., Barnett, P.G., Mitsuishi, F., Lin, C., Song, Y., & Hall, S.M. (2005). Randomized trial of drug abuse treatment-linkage strategies. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 73(6), 1026-1035.

Hall, S.M., Humfleet, G.L., Reus, V.I., Muñoz, R.F., Cullen, J. (2004). Extended nortriptyline and psychological treatment for cigarette smoking. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(11), 2100-2107.

Prochaska, J.J., Delucchi, K., & Hall, S.M. (2004). A meta-analysis of smoking cessation interventions with individuals in substance abuse treatment or recovery. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 72(6), 1144-1156.

Co-Director: Kevin Delucchi, Ph.D.
Kevin Delucchi, Ph.D. is an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Psychiatry and Epidemiology & Biostatistics and Director of the Quantitative Core of the NIDA-funded Treatment Research Center. He also leads a longitudinal study of heavy alcohol drinkers. His primary research focus is on the application of appropriate statistical methodology to the analysis of data types commonly found in psychiatric/psychological research, primarily clinical trials in drug abuse research. Such data is often characterized by relatively small samples measured at multiple times using many measures. Substantial attrition rates, dual-diagnosis of condition, reliance on self-reports, and multiple drug use are all common problems in such data. Dr. Delucchi's interest is based on determining which statistical methods lead to sound, replicable conclusions when analyzing such data. In addition to his research he is an active collaborator, consultant, and co-author with Center investigators, postdoctoral fellows, and other scholars and faculty in the Department. Trainees in Dr. Delucchi’s group would work on data-analytic projects and statistical methodology.

Key words: biostatistics, clinical trials, longitudinal research, quantitative methods, drug abuse

Wasserman, D.A., Sorensen, J.L., Delucchi, K.L., Masson, C.L., & Hall, S.M. (2006). Psychometric evaluation of the quality of life interview, brief version in a sample of opioid users. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 20(3), 316-321.

Prochaska, J. J., Velicer, W.F., Prochaska, J O., Delucchi, K., & Hall, S. M. (2006). Comparing intervention outcomes in smokers treated for single versus multiple behavioral risks. Health Psychology, 25, 380-388.

Delucchi, K.L. (2004). Sample size estimation in research with dependent measures and dichotomous outcomes. American Journal of Public Health, 94, 372-377.

Delucchi, K.L. & Bostrom, A. (2004). Methods for analysis of skewed data distributions in psychiatric clinical studies: working with many zero values. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(7), 1159-68.

Delucchi, K.L., Matzger, H., & Weisner, C. (2004). Dependent and problem drinking over five years: A latent class growth analysis. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 74, 235-244.

Co-Director: Joseph Guydish, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Joseph Guydish, Ph.D., M.P.H. is a Professor of Medicine and Health Policy, conducting research in the area of access, delivery, and organization of substance abuse treatment services. His current research concerns adoption of evidence-based practices, organizational change in drug abuse treatment systems, and treatment of nicotine dependence in drug treatment settings. He is Associate Director of the California-Arizona node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network, one of 17 nodes nationally in a network dedicated to improving substance abuse treatment through multi-site clinical trials research. Recent studies have evaluated a Treatment on Demand initiative designed to increase treatment access, and assessed a federal policy to end drug addiction and alcoholism as an SSI disability category. Prior research has included the study of interventions for drug-involved criminal offenders; a clinical trial comparing drug abuse day treatment to residential treatment; a multi-site trial of the Matrix intervention for methamphetamine users; and evaluation of needle exchange as an HIV prevention strategy. Postdoctoral trainees mentored by Dr. Guydish may work on current projects related to how treatment programs adopt evidence-based practices, and strategies for organizational change in support of smoking cessation in the context of drug abuse treatment programs. A range of treatment-related datasets are available, both within the research team and through collaboration with colleagues, and recent fellows have developed work related to substance abuse in perinatal and adolescent populations. The placement of this team within the UCSF Institute for Health Policy Studies supports policy-related research as well as traditional outcomes research.

Key words: substance abuse treatment, treatment systems, treatment outcomes, organizational change

Guydish, J., Turcotte Manser, S. Jessup, M., Tajima, B. & Sears, C. (2005). Multi-level assessment protocol (MAP) for adoption in multi-site clinical trials. Journal of Drug Issues, 35, 529-546.

Chan, M., Guydish, J., Prem, R., Jessup, M., Cervantes, A., & Bostrom, A. (2005). Evaluation of a Probation Case Management (PCM) Model for Drug-Involved Women Offenders. Crime & Delinquency, 51, 447-469.

Guydish, J., Ponath, C., Bostrom, A., Campbell, K., & Barron, N. (2003). Effects of losing SSI benefits on standard drug and alcohol outcome measures. Contemporary Drug Problems, 30, 169-193.

Guydish, J., Wolfe, E., Tajima, B., Woods, W.J. (2001). Drug court effectiveness: a review of California evaluation reports, 1995-1999. Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, 33 (4), 369-378.

Guydish, J., Woods, W.J., Davis, T., Bostrom, A., & Frazier, Y. (2001). Does centralized intake improve drug abuse treatment outcomes? Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 20, 265-273.

Co-Director: James Sorensen, Ph.D.
James Sorensen, Ph.D. is a Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF and is located at San Francisco General Hospital. His work in the substance abuse treatment research area began 25+ years ago, directing a National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-funded double-blind investigation of detoxification from heroin. With NIDA research support, he has developed and evaluated a community network approach to drug abuse treatment, assessed family therapy's efficacy with methadone maintenance patients, tested the efficacy of small-group HIV education with drug users in three treatment modalities, and evaluated the impact of case management for substance abusers with HIV/AIDS. Currently, he is investigating the utility of treating methadone maintenance patients in a therapeutic community. Dr. Sorensen directs the California-Arizona Research Node of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network program. His node participates in clinical trials of family therapy for adolescents, AIDS prevention with heroin users, job training for drug users, buprenorphine hepatotoxicity, and prescription opioid use.

Dr. Sorensen has over 190 publications. In recent years he has focused increasingly on linking research and practice in the addictions. Dr. Sorensen is senior editor in a book on this topic, published by APA Press in 2003, and he leads an effort to conduct clinical trials of addiction treatments in a network of treatment programs in his region. Dr. Sorensen is also Co-Principal Investigator of the NIDA-funded P50 Treatment Research Center, as well as an experienced mentor of professionals in training. He is a Core faculty member for the locally funded Clinical Psychology Pre- and Postdoctoral training program, supervising 12 fellows in the program in the past 20 years. He is also a Co-Director of this NIDA-funded Postdoctoral Training Program In Treatment And Services Research, serving in that role since its inception. Trainees in Dr. Sorensen’s laboratory would participate in developing research-practice integration.

Key words: dissemination of interventions, research-practice linkage, diffusion of interventions, behavior therapy, methadone maintenance, buprenorphine, opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, homeless, science policy, drug policy, theory of change, humor, hospital, residential treatment, outpatient, case management

Miller, W.R., Sorensen, J.L., Selzer, J.A., Brigham, G.S. (2006). Disseminating evidence-based practices in substance abuse treatment: A review with suggestions. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 31(1), 25-39.

Sorensen, J. L., Masson, C. L., Delucchi, K., Sporer, K., Barnett, P. G., Mitsuishi, F., Lin, C., Song, Y., Chen, T. & Hall, S. M. (2005). Randomized trial of drug abuse treatment-linkage strategies. Journal of Consulting & Clinical Psychology, 73(6), 1026-1035.

Sorensen, J. L., Delucchi, K. L., Dilley, J., London, J. A., Phibbs, C. S., & Okin, R. L. (2003). Case management for substance abusers with HIV/AIDS: A randomized clinical trial. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 29 (1), 133-150.

Sorensen, J. L., Rawson, R., Guydish, J., & Zweben, J. E. (Eds.). (2003). Drug abuse treatment through collaboration: Practice and research partnerships that work. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association (326 pages).

Sorensen, J. L., Masson, C. L., & Perlman, D. D. (2002). HIV/hepatitis prevention in drug abuse treatment programs: Guidance from research. Science and Practice Perspectives, 1(1), 4-12.

Masson, C. L., Sorensen, J. L., Batki, S. L., Okin, R., Delucchi, K. L., & Perlman, D. C. (2002). Medical service use and financial charges among opioid users in a public hospital. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 66, 45-50.

Margolin, A., Kleber, H. D., Avants, K., Konefal, J., Gawin, F., Stark, E., Sorensen, J., Midkiff, E., Wells, E., Jackson, T. R., Bullock, M., Culliton, P. D., & Boles, S. (2002) Acupuncture for the treatment of cocaine addiction: A randomized controlled trial. JAMA, 287(1), 55-63.

Co-Director: Constance M. Weisner, Dr.P.H., M.S.W
Constance Weisner, Dr.P.H., M.S.W. is a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry. She is jointly appointed and funded by UCSF and the Division of Research, Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program (where she is a senior research scientist and directs the Drug and Alcohol Research Team, a large program of substance abuse research in Kaiser clinics and with Kaiser databases). Dr. Weisner is a health services researcher. She is a member of the World Health Organization's International Expert Advisory Council on Drug Dependence and Alcohol Problems, a member of the National Advisory Council of the National Institute on Drug Abuse, and a former member of the National Advisory Council of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration. Her research is funded by NIAAA, NIDA, and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and includes alcohol and drug problem epidemiology, substance abuse treatment access, outcome and cost impact. A focus of her work is on gender issues. Prior to coming to UCSF in 1999, she was the PI and Program Director for a NIAAA-funded traineeship "Graduate Research Training on Alcohol Problems" at the University of California at Berkeley. She has mentored over twenty predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows.

Key words: treatment outcome and cost, health economics, methodology

Ammon L, Sterling S, Mertens, J, Weisner C. (2005). Adolescents in private chemical dependency programs: Who is at risk for HIV? Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 29, 39-45.

Mertens JM, Weisner C, Ray GT. (2005). Hazardous drinkers and drug users in HMO primary care: prevalence, medical conditions, and costs. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 29(6), 989-998.

Parthasarathy S, Weisner C. (2005). Five-Year trajectories of health care utilization and cost in a drug and alcohol treatment sample. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 80(2), 231-240.

Ray GT, Mertens J, Weisner C. (2005). The relationship of psychiatric severity and services to five-year alcohol drug treatment outcomes. Psychiatric Services, 56(2), 164-71.

Schmidt, L. A., & Weisner, C. M. (2005). Private insurance and the utilization of chemical dependency treatment. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 28(1), 67-76.

Sterling S, Weisner C. (2005). Chemical dependency and psychiatric services for adolescents in private managed care: Implications for outcomes. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research, 25(5), 801-9.