Background: Opioid-related overdose deaths are rising among youth. Effective interventions to reduce overdose risk exist but are not accessible to youth. A major barrier is a lack of understanding of what matters most to those impacted by opioid use and overdose including youth, families, and providers.

Proposed Solution to the Problem: This project proposes to work collaboratively with youth, families, and providers in Massachusetts to identify the research questions and outcomes most important to them.

Objectives: The aims of the project are to (1) build capacity of youth and families to advance patient-centered outcomes research/comparative clinical effectiveness research (PCOR/CER) focused on youth overdose prevention through community engagement and (2) share results through a dissemination strategy including a website and other approaches suggested by the Community Advisory Board (CAB).

Activities: Through the project, the CAB members will be involved in regular meetings that participate in a bidirectional learning process to cocreate a relevant research agenda including delineating patient-centered outcomes related to preventing youth overdose.

• Short-term outcomes during the project include: (1) recruitment of a CAB, (2) participation in meetings, (3) developing a research agenda regarding youth overdose, (4) increasing knowledge and understanding of community-engaged research and PCOR/CER, and (5) disseminating strategy to youth and families.
• Medium-term outcomes (0-2 years post-project period) include: (1) more than half of CAB members collaborating on research study proposals in the 24 months following project conclusion and (2) securing further funding to continue the digital multi-modal strategy highlighting research findings relevant for youth and families.
• Long-term outcomes (3+ years post-project period) include: (1) continued participation of CAB members in ongoing related research and (2) creating a network of patients and families involved in future research activities.

Patient and Stakeholder Engagement Plan: The core team has existing relationships with youth impacted by overdose, their families, and key stakeholders in the community, including providers and public health practitioners. To identify and recruit to the CAB, the project team will rely on those existing relationships with city and state partners, clinical programs, and organizations which work with youth and families. The CAB will meet at least monthly as a group to achieve the objectives of the project. They will be involved in every step of decision making and will operate under a shared governance structure developed and agreed upon by the group.

Project Collaborators: This project will be led by researchers and staff at Boston Medical Center, the Boston University Clinical and Translational Science Institute Community Engagement Program, Massachusetts General Brigham, and the Becca Schmill Foundation.