Supporting parents of adolescents with substance use disorders, Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) pilot project

Supporting parents of adolescents with substance use disorders, Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) pilot project (Giovanelli A PhD, Ozer E PhD, Mesheriakova V MD, Pugatch M PhD)

Dr. Alison Giovanelli, assistant professor (and UCSF LEAH alumna) developed a modular skills-based group intervention for parents/caregivers of adolescents with Substance Use Disorders, leveraging AYAH-RN support and mentoring from the Network PI to secure additional grant funding for the research. The intervention, based on the Community Reinforcement and Family Training model, was piloted in UCSF’s Youth Outpatient Substance Use Program. Results of the intervention were presented at the AMERSA conference in November of 2023, and Dr. Giovanelli also presented results as part of a CRAFT workshop at SAHM in March 2025 and at AMERSA in November 2025. All conference presentations have been supported by the AYAH-RN. A manuscript based on this pilot is currently under review and further piloting of the intervention is planned for 2026.

Vendlinski S, Pugatch M, Marsiglia S, Ozer E, Mesheriakova V, & Giovanelli A. Implementing Community Reinforcement and Family Training for Caregivers (CRAFT-C) in Youth with Substance Use Disorders via a Group Telehealth Model: A Pilot Study. November 4-5, 2023.

Pugatch M, Giovanelli A, Bell LA, Badal B, Rahmandar MH, Alinsky R. A Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) workshop for practitioners: Turning the relational tide between caregivers and pre-contemplative youth who use substances through positive communication, reinforcement and self-care. Workshop at: The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Annual Meeting; March 4-7, 2025; Baltimore, MD.

Pugatch, M., Giovanelli, A., Bell, L.A., Badal, B.K., Jinks-Chang, S., & Brewer, N. A Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) Workshop for Practitioners: Turning the relational tide between caregivers and pre-contemplative youth who use substances through positive communication, reinforcement and self-care. Workshop. Association for Medical Education and Research in Substance Abuse conference. Portland, Oregon. November 12-15, 2025.