Emory University

The Emory University Research Center for JJ-TRIALS brings together several research/academic partners.  The Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and provide expertise in implementing evidence-based practices for mental health and substance use assessment.  The CFAR’s Prevention Sciences & Epidemiology Core has been instrumental in the development, implementation and evaluation of a diverse array of innovative programs for high-risk youth, including juvenile justice involved youth.  The Emory RC is directed by Drs. Ralph DiClemente and Gene Brody and includes Emory collaborators Dr. Gina Wingood, Dr. Anne Spaulding, Dr. Jessica Sales and Ms. Eve Rose.  Drs. DiClemente, Brody, Wingood, and Sales have extensive background in the development and evaluation of interventions for high-risk youth, for the development of implementations science programs, are recognized nationally and internationally for their development of evidence-based substance use prevention and HIV risk reduction programs.  Dr. Spaulding, an infectious disease physician and epidemiologist, is the founding director of the Center for Correctional Health Care at Emory and has served as the Medical Director for state correctional care systems and as President of the Correctional Care Physicians.  Our primary juvenile justice partner is Dr. Michelle Staples Horne, Medical Director of the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.  Dr. Staples Horne rings a wealth of hands on experience to the team as well as having served as President of the Correctional care Physicians. Additional Emory collaborators include colleagues from the Center for Prevention Implementation Methods on Drug Abuse and Sexual Risk Behavior (CePIM).  These colleagues include Dr. Hendricks Brown, Northwestern University School of Medicine; Dr. Lawrence Palinkas, University of Southern California; Dr. Greg Aarons, University of California San Diego; Dr. Willy Prado and Dr. Kathryn McCollister; University of Miami.  Ce-PIM is based at Northwestern University School of Medicine and is directed by Hendricks Brown and includes sub contractual arrangements with investigators at Emory, University of Southern California, University of California San Diego and the University of Miami.  All have extensive background in implementation science, in particular, in implementation science methodology and statistical analysis (Brown), mixed method research design and qualitative methods (Palinkas), implementation science theory (Aarons), implementation science strategies (Prado) and cost evaluation analysis of implementation science programs (McCollister).  Our primary community partners include the Georgia Department of Juvenile Justice.  The Georgia DJJ operates 27 short-term facilities throughout the state and provides a range of services including assessment, HIV testing, STD testing, mental health and substance use screening and referral to community providers for more extensive care and treatment.  Further support is provided by another community partner, AIDAtlanta, the largest non-governmental AIDS service provider in the Southeastern United States.