Congratulations Dr. Harrison!

Dr. Jennifer Harrison, PhD, LMSW, CAADC, was recently awarded a 4-year federal grant from the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). This grant will fund the Supporting Underserved Peer Professionals in Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) program, to address the shortage of peer professionals trained to work with Michiganders with Opioid Use Disorder. This program has three components: coursework in Western Michigan University’s Specialty Program in Alcohol and Drug Abuse, on-demand trainings, and peer professional mentoring. Goal Scaling Solutions (GSS) will provide outcome measurement for professional development.

GSS was inspired by the methodology of goal attainment scaling, which has been used in healthcare settings since 1968 to quantify and aggregate incremental change over time in individualized goals. Our GSS research outcomes are consistent with the scholarly literature: users feel more motivated to work on their goals and have a higher rate of achievement when their goals are individualized and supported over time. When it comes to education, GSS helps to support learners to develop valuable employee skills like problem solving and self-management.

We are very excited to be a part of this opportunity to assist in training more providers to treat substance use disorders!