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Clinical
Research/
Current
Projects
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Specialist
Methamphetamine Clinics: Evaluation
TP Staff: Dr Madonna Devaney
and Ms Melissa Reed
Summary: Few methamphetamine
users present for treatment in outpatient or inpatient treatment,
most commonly attending health services in crisis via the
ambulance service or emergency department, or with related
complaints to their GP.
Turning Point, in collaboration with Access
Health, has been awarded a grant through the Proceeds of Crime
Act (POCA) to establish and evaluate specialist services for
methamphetamine users. The clinics will provide specialist
services for methamphetamine and other stimulant users including
best practice psychological and medical treatment for dependence,
brief interventions, assessment and referral and information
and harm reduction advice.
The evaluation of the Specialist Methamphetamine
Clinics (SMC) consists of six studies, study 1 is a needs
analysis designed to determine the treatment interests of
methamphetamine users. Studies 2 to 6 will be undertaken upon
implementation of the SMC. The data from these studies will
be triangulated to examine client outcomes and the best service
delivery model for the SMC.
Start date: October 2007
Completion date: July 2010
Contact person: Dr Madonna
Devaney
Phone: 8413 8419
Email: madonna.devaney@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: Proceeds
of Crime
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Longitudinal
treatment outcomes for methamphetamine dependence: A treatment
cohort study
TP staff: Dr Nicole Lee
Collaborators: National Drug
and Alcohol Research Centre, Drug and Alcohol Services South
Australia, University of Melbourne, Queensland Alcohol and
Drug Research and Education Centre, Griffith University, National
Centre for HIV Epidemiology and Clinical Research
Summary: Coordinated by the
National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre, this Australia-wide
project follows a cohort of dependent methamphetamine users
to examine the characteristics of those entering treatment;
the differences between those entering treatment and dependent
methamphetamine users not seeking treatment; and factors predictive
of abstinence, psychiatric morbidity, criminal involvement
and contact with the health and criminal justice systems.
Start date: June 2005
Completion date: June 2009
Contact person: Dr Nicole Lee
Phone: 8413 8416
Email: nicole.lee@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: National
Health and Medical Research Council
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The
Australian Alcohol Treatment Outcome Measure (AATOM)
TP staff: Nicola
Thomson
Collaborators:
NDARC
Summary: The project
aims to develop a standardised instrument designed to measure
outcomes for individuals in treatment for alcohol use in Australia.
The Alcohol Treatment Outcome Measure (AATOM) will comprise
of two versions: one intended for use amongst clinicians for
the purpose of routine treatment outcome monitoring (AATOM-C)
and one for use amongst researchers (AATOM-R). The study aims
to test the psychometric properties of the newly developed
instrument by measuring its reliability and validity. A further
aim of the project will be to assess the feasibility of implementing
the AATOM-C into routine clinical practice in Australia. In
this phase, differences between data collected by clinicians
and researchers will be investigated, as well as the impact
of conducting follow-up interviews.
Start date: May
2005
Completion date: November 2007
Contact person:
Nicola Thompson
Phone: 8413 8428
Email: nicola.thompson@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body:
Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation
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Translating
research into practice: PsyCheck dissemination
TP staff: Dr Nicole Lee, Jacqui
Cameron, Sandra Roeg
Summary: An evaluation of the
PsyCheck Implementation project showed an increase in the
rate of clinician screening and intervention for common mental
health disorders (anxiety, depression and psychosomatic presentations)
among clients presenting to alcohol and drug treatment services
as a result of use of the PsyCheck toolkit.
This current project aims to translate this
research into more widespread clinical practice by:
- Investigating methods for dissemination
- Investigating methods for increasing access
to clinical supervision for alcohol and drug practitioners
- Undertaking further research to examine
client outcomes of practitioner training
- Investigating methods to ensure sustainability
of the screening toolkit once implemented within the services.
Start date: May 2006
Completion date: October 2007
Contact person: Jacqui Cameron
Phone: 8413 8416
Email: jacqui.cameron@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: Department
of Health and Ageing, Illicit Drugs Branch
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Psychostimulants
information and education resources
TP staff: Dr Nicole Lee, Kieran
Connolly, Trevor King, Caroline Clark
Summary: This project will
see the development of information and education resources
on psychostimulants with a specific focus on target populations
that are not currently well served by existing strategies.
Funded by the NSW Department of Health, the
resources developed will be of mixed media and culturally
relevant in terms of age, gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation
and NSW geographic location. The key outcomes of the resources
are to:
- Prevent, delay or reduce the use of
psychostimulant drugs
- Raise awareness of the problematic effects
of psychostimulant abuse
- Promote a harm minimisation approach to
psychostimulant use
- Positively influence attitudes towards psychostimulant
use
- Positively influence the behaviours of psychostimulant
users
- Raise awareness of treatment options and
other support available for psychostimulant users.
Start date: December 2005
Completion date: December 2007
Contact person: Dr Nicole Lee
Phone: 8413 8416
Email: nicole.lee@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: NSW Department
of Health
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Evaluation
of a best practice integrated intervention for regular methamphetamine
users with comorbid depression
TP Staff: Dr Nicole Lee,
Amy Pennay, Angela Harney, Stephan Leubbers, Peter Eide
External Staff: Prof Steve Allsop, Frances
Kay-Lambkin, Dr Rebecca McKetin, Dr Amanda Baker, Prof Richard
Mattick, Prof David Kavanagh
Collaborators:
NDRI, Centre for Mental Health Studies University of Newcastle,
NDARC, Faculty of Health Sciences University of Queensland
Summary: This study aims
to trial a range of psychological interventions for the management
of depression among amphetamine users. To date, very little
research has been conducted within the population of people
with depression and co-occurring amphetamine use problems,
whose complex presentation makes it difficult for treatment
providers to deliver effective interventions. Although rates
of depression and amphetamine use is on the increase in our
community, it is still not clear how to best to manage this
group. This pilot randomised study will recruit up to 60 regular
amphetamine users in Victoria. Participants will be randomly
assigned to one of three groups: 6-sessions of integrated
co-morbidity intervention, 6-sessions of amphetamine only
treatment or an assessment only control. Follow-up will occur
immediately and at 3 and 6 months post-treatment. The outcomes
of this study will be of significant clinical benefit to those
managing regular amphetamine users who experience mental health
problems, others with AOD use and co-occurring mental health
problems, and particularly for those problems for which specific
medical treatment is not yet available. This study will result
in the development of an efficacious treatment for an increasing
group in the community experiencing depression and will be
directly transferable into clinical practice.
Start date: March 2007
Completion date: September 2008
Contact person: Amy Pennay
Phone: 8413 8460
Email: amy.pennay@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: Beyondblue
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Benzodiazepines:
Treatment Capacity Building Project
TP Staff: Dr Nicole
Lee, Nicola Thompson, Jacqui Cameron, Angela Harney
Collaborators: DP&SB
Summary: The
main aim of the study is to increase the capacity of Victorian
drug treatment services to address benzodiazepine related
harm. At present, there is little information on the way benzodiazepine
use is managed by treatment services, particularly in association
with other problematic drug use. Furthermore, the experience
of consumers undertaking treatment for benzodiazepine use
is not well documented. This project will address these issues
as well as inform the development of a capacity building resource
for drug treatment services.
There are three stages to the project:
- A review of best practice in benzodiazepine
treatment
- Consultation with services providers
and users in order to map the treatment modalities currently
used by Victoria treatment services
- Development of a capacity building
resource
Start date: May 2007
Completion date: June 2008
Contact person: Dr Nicole
Lee
Phone: 8413 8416
Email: nicole.lee@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: Drugs Policy
and Services Branch, Department of Human Services
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from
GO to WHOA Dissemination
TP Staff: Kieran Connolly,
Dr Nicole Lee, Margaret Petrie, Ray Stephens, Bridget Roberts,
Lauren Siegmann.
Collaborators: Trainers and Senior Clinicians
from AOD services and mental health services across Australia
Summary: The from GO to WHOA
training package was commissioned by the Australian Government
Department of Health and Ageing and incorporates an interactive
training session on psychostimulants. A national dissemination
project has also been funded which aims to increase the skills
and knowledge on psychostimulants that will enhance the capacity
of a range of workers to provide appropriate interventions
to psychostimulant users. An innovative dissemination model
incorporating three distinct levels has been developed. This
includes a traditional train-the-trainer component as well
as a series of funded training courses in each jurisdiction
and the provision of post training support workers for a period
of time at the local level.
Start date: February 2007
Completion date: June 2008
Contact person: Kieran Connolly
Phone: 03 8413 8704
Email: kieran.connolly@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: Commonwealth
of Australia, Department of Health & Ageing
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Working
with Clients with Dual Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders:
Guidelines for Alcohol and Other Drug Workers
TP Staff: Dr Nicole Lee,
Linda Jenner
External Staff: Greg Logan, Gary Croton,
Nicole Allen, Catherine Dwyer
Collaborators: Dual Diagnosis Education and
Training Unit, Eastern Hume Dual Diagnosis Service, Substance
Use and Mental Illness Treatment Team
Summary: As part of their
dual diagnosis initiative, the Drugs Policy and Services Branch,
Department of Human Services, has commissioned the Dual Diagnosis
Education and Training Unit, Eastern Hume Dual Diagnosis Service,
Substance Use and Mental Illness Treatment Team and Turning
Point Alcohol & Drug Centre to develop a set of clinical
treatment guidelines to inform Clinicians on the application
of intervention for people with co-occurring mental health
and drug and alcohol problems.
Start date: August 2006
Completion date: October 2007
Contact person: Nicole
Lee
Phone: 8413 8416
Email: nicole.lee@turningpoint.org.au
Funding body: Drugs Policy
and Services Branch, Department of Human Services
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| A
double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of Modafinil for methamphetamine
withdrawal TP staff:
Amy Pennay, Nicole Lee
Collaborators: Moreland Hall, DASWest
Summary: Use of methamphetamine
is widespread, with an estimated 72,000 dependent users. Medication
plays an important role in treatment, but despite this, there
are very few clinical studies investigating various medications
for methamphetamine withdrawal. Previous studies in the U.S.
have shown that modafinil (Modavigil®) has potential for
treating cocaine dependence. This project is a randomised,
placebo-controlled design comparing the effects of modafinil
and a placebo pill on withdrawal symptoms and neurocognitive
measures. Patients stay for up to 10 days on a fixed schedule
of medication.
Start Date: January 2007
Completion Date: June 2008
Contact Person: Amy Pennay
Ph: 03 8413 8460
Email: amy.pennay@turningpoint.org.au
Funding Body: Commonwealth
Department of Health and Ageing
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