The funding will support Australia’s first, real-world implementation of Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM) across 14 inpatient withdrawal services nationwide, marking a major step forward in addiction treatment innovation and research translation.

“I am extremely grateful to our generous partner organisations who embrace innovative approaches,” Professor Manning said. “I cannot wait to work with them on this exciting project.”

“This project marks a significant transition from research to practice, taking a proven intervention from a clinical trial environment into the complex reality of inpatient withdrawal services where it can support thousands of Australians with alcohol dependence, regardless of their background or circumstances,” she added.

What is CBM and why does it matter?

CBM is a form of neurocognitive training that aims to help people recovering from alcohol dependence by reducing the automatic tendency to notice and respond to alcohol cues.

"With over half of patients leaving inpatient withdrawal treatment and returning to alcohol use within just two weeks, successful implementation of CBM has the potential to reshape alcohol treatment,” Professor Manning says.

Backed by nine randomised controlled trials, CBM is now recognised as an effective way of supporting abstinence following residential treatment.

“I am extremely grateful to our generous partner organisations who embrace innovative approaches,” she says. “I cannot wait to work with them on this exciting project.”

Transforming individual insights into shared breakthroughs

Thanks to the support of the funders, the project will bring together Australia's leading addiction researchers and clinicians from Monash University's Eastern Health Clinical School, University of Sydney, University of Newcastle, and the University of Melbourne alongside experts in digital innovation from Monash University's Action Lab and world-class health economists and statisticians from the School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine.

The project will launch with a year-long co-design phase, where nurses and consumers from private and public withdrawal units across NSW, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria will collaboratively refine the team's existing computer and smartphone applications.

This collaborative approach will ensure the treatment is tailored to work effectively in real-world healthcare settings and will be followed by a Staircase Randomised Controlled Trial and comprehensive implementation evaluation.

“Thanks to the support of this grant and the commitment from our partner organisations, patients will benefit directly from this low-cost relapse prevention tool,” Professor Manning says.

Chief Investigators

• Prof Victoria Manning (Primary Chief Investigator (PCI), Monash University
• Prof Paul Haber, Sydney Uni
• Prof Dan Lubman, Monash University
• Prof Patrick Olivier, Action Lab Monash
• Prof Adrian Dunlop, Hunter New England Local Health District, University of Newcastle
• Prof Kirsten Morley, Sydney Uni
• Prof Jessica Kasza, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash Uni
• Prof Cathrine Mihalopoulos, School of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, Monash Uni
• Prof Malcolm Hopwood, University of Melbourne
• Dr Alex Waddell, Action Lab Monash

Associate Investigators

• Dr Ariel Roxburgh, Monash University
• Assoc Prof Shalini Arunogiri, Monash University
• Dr Robert Lundin, Deakin University
• Dr David Plevin, The University of Adelaide
• Assoc Prof Mark Daglish, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital
• Prof Reinout Wiers, University of Amsterdam
• Dr David Jacka, Monash Health
• Assoc Prof David Pennington, University of California, San Francisco
• Assoc Prof Adam Searby, Monash University
• Dr Mark Montebello, University of Sydney

Partners (sites)

• Eastern Health, Vic
• Western Health, Vic
• Monash Health, Vic
• Uniting VicTas, Vic
• Ramsay Health Clinics
• The Geelong Clinic, Vic
• Wyndham Clinic Private Hospital, Vic
• The Melbourne Clinic, Vic
• Mildura Base Public Hospital, Vic
• Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital, QLD
• Royal Prince Alfred, NSW
• Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW
• Fiona Stanley Hospital, WA

Other partners

• Ramsay Hospital Research Foundation (cash contribution)
• Drug and Alcohol Nurses of Australiasia
• Self Help Addiction Resource Centre (SHARC)
• Hospitals Contribution Fund (HCF)
• Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association (VAADA)
• Department of Health Victoria
• Turning Point, Eastern Health

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