Baystate Health Researcher Receives New Grant from the National Institutes of Health to Enhance Support for Parents Recovering from Substance Use Disorders

Springfield, MASS. — Baystate Health has been awarded a new one-year award for $452,985 from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to enhance support for parents recovering from substance use disorders (SUDs) by strengthening the parent-child relationship.

The funded project, Relational Health Enhanced Parenting Support (RHEP), seeks to improve the provision of parenting support within family-focused peer recovery support services (PRSS). Under the leadership of Dr. Lili Peacock-Chambers, pediatrician and researcher at Baystate Health and associate professor at UMass Chan Medical School-Baystate, and co-PI Jessie Borelli, Professor of Psychology in the School of Social Ecology at the University of California, Irvine, the study aims to facilitate the development of stronger and healthier parent-child relationships among parents in recovery, which is critical for both sustained recovery and positive child development.

“Parenting can be one of the most powerful motivators for recovery, but it also brings unique challenges that can trigger stress or relapse,” said Dr. Peacock-Chambers. “This project recognizes that with the right support, the parent-child relationship can be a source of healing, resilience, and long-term recovery. Our goal is to empower peer recovery specialists with the tools they need to deliver meaningful parenting support alongside recovery services.”

The peer recovery service model offers the opportunity for greater access and scalability to supports intentionally designed for parents.

During this initial year of the award, the RHEP initiative will be developed and refined in collaboration with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) and the FIRST Steps Together program, a statewide home-visiting initiative supporting parents in recovery. The goal will be to create a package of training, consultation, and tailored implementation strategies that will prepare peer recovery staff at six FIRST Steps Together sites in Massachusetts to more effectively integrate parenting and recovery support into their work with families.

Once the development phase is complete, the award may be extended for an additional 4 years and 4 million dollars to evaluate the model's impact on parenting outcomes, treatment retention, and reductions in substance use among participating families. The project will ultimately generate a practical implementation toolkit to facilitate the expansion of evidence-based parenting support in peer-led recovery programs nationwide.

“This grant represents an important step forward in bridging recovery and family health,” added Dr. Peacock-Chambers. “By strengthening the systems that support both parents and children, we can help families affected by substance use disorder thrive together.”

The funding will be used to support this research in communities across Massachusetts.

About Baystate Health

Baystate Health is a not-for-profit, integrated healthcare system serving over 800,000 people throughout western New England. Baystate Health is the largest healthcare organization in western Massachusetts. With roots dating to the founding of Springfield Hospital in 1883, Baystate Health has been providing high-quality and compassionate healthcare in the Pioneer Valley for more than 140 years. Its mission is to improve the health of the people in its communities every day, with quality and compassion. With a focus on quality, safety, value, and experience, Baystate is not only a keystone of the region, it is a national leader in healthcare.