Southern Consortium Node Mission

The SCN research agenda showing the substance use disorder (SUD) continuum: prevention, treatment, recovery.
The SCN research agenda focuses on developing and testing emerging evidence-based interventions that address substance use issues spanning the SUD continuum: prevention, treatment, recovery.

Over the past 24 years, the Southern Consortium Node (SCN) has been an integral part of the NIDA Clinical Trials Network (CTN), participating comprehensively in CTN activities and expanding our impact, geographic reach and research practice settings. Over the next seven years, we propose to address research questions focused on critical gaps along the substance use disorder (SUD) treatment continuum, from prevention to recovery, culminating in implementation science to ensure real world impact. Our highly experienced team will leverage the successful SCN research infrastructure and local, regional, and national collaborators to propose, participate in and lead groundbreaking multi-site trials to improve prevention, treatment, equity, morbidity and mortality for those affected by SUDs. The SCN is uniquely poised to accomplish this agenda given the rural, underserved, and diverse population of South Carolina (SC) and our partner states/regions.

The primary aims of the SCN are:

  • Engage, develop and sustain strategic collaborations with a diverse cohort of healthcare organizations, networks, and settings, influential community-based organizations and leadership, and individuals with lived experience to advise and inform SCN activities.
  • Develop and conduct clinical trials, inclusive of the full range of age, socioeconomic, and racial/ethnic groups, focused on three key areas of the substance use disorder continuum (i.e. prevention, treatment, and recovery) using implantation science to ensure public health impact.
  • Generate evidence that informs healthcare policy decisions and clinical guidelines, and effectively translate/disseminate this evidence to consumers, clinicians and policymakers.
  • Serve as a training platform to increase, strengthen, and diversify the clinical and research workforce addressing substance use disorder prevention, treatment and recovery.

These aims will encompass an emphasis on inclusion of individuals from minoritized, socioeconomically disadvantaged, underserved, rural and disabled populations in all activities, and particularly in the recruitment of research participants, trainees, staff and faculty.