Seattle-Denver Center of Innovation (COIN)

COIN Investigators & Staff

COIN Investigators

Eric Hawkins, PhD

Title: Associate Director, Seattle Center of Excellence in Substance Addiction Treatment and Education
Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Washington

Contact: Eric.Hawkins@va.gov

Location: Seattle

University of Washington webpage

Research Interests

My research is focused on the prevention and treatment of substance use conditions. Currently, my research interests are focused on the implementation and evaluation of medication treatment for opioid and alcohol use disorder in general healthcare settings.

I choose to do this work and enjoy it because I value my work with Veterans and honor their sacrifices and service to the country.

I hope my work will improve Veterans’ access to and the quality of substance use services in the VA.

See Dr. Hawkin's Dimensions profile that includes: publications, grants, datasets, patents and clinical trials

The following images visualize Dr. Hawkins' work. The word cloud is drawn from publication titles. The research collaboration map shows research relationships (click the image to enlarge):

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Grants & Funding

Evaluating the Implementation of the VA Stepped Care for Opioid Use Disorder Train-the-Trainer (SCOUTT) Program

Role: PI
The dramatic rise in opioid prescribing accompanies an increase in overdose deaths and opioid use disorders (OUD).
One initiative to address this problem in the Veteran Affairs (VA) healthcare system is the Stepped Care for Opioid Use Disorder Train-the-Trainer (SCOUTT) program. This model aims to improve access to OUD treatment and decrease harm associated with opioids.
Working closely with the VA Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention, the implementer of SCOUTT, this prospective mixed-methods project proposes to obtain complementary quantitative and qualitative information to assess whether the SCOUTT program improves access to OUD care and to identify barriers that inhibit and facilitators that promote its success.
These data will provide actionable innovative strategies that will inform the current implementation effort and future efforts to spread similar train-the-trainer models across the VA.
Funder: Veterans Administration
NIH website

Applying Critical Race Theory to investigate the impact of COVID-19-related policy changes on racial/ethnic disparities in medication treatment for opioid use disorder

Role: Co-PI with Emily Williams and Jessica Chen
With the rise in opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose, racialized disparities in buprenorphine access and use are a significant concern nationally. Studies estimate that Black patients with OUD are 50-60% less likely to access buprenorphine than White patients, and similar disparities exist for Hispanic/Latinx patients.
COVID-19-related policy changes increased flexibility in providing buprenorphine and other effective medications for OUD over telehealth. They presented an unprecedented opportunity to examine the impacts of a structural intervention—relaxed MOUD restrictions—on disparities that result from structural racism and discrimination (SRD).
The proposed study, guided by Public Health Critical Race Praxis, will use data from the nation's largest provider of substance use care and quantitative and qualitative methods to examine the impact of these policy changes on racialized disparities for Black and Hispanic/Latinx patients to inform future policy and interventions to improve equitable care for OUD.
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse
NIH website

Stand Down-Think Before You Drink: An RCT of a Mobile App for Hazardous Drinking with Peer Phone Support

Role: Co-PI with Daniel Blonigen, PhD, VA Palo Alto
Hazardous drinking is common among Veteran primary care patients. Over the long term, it increases the risk of more costly and complex medical problems.
Yet, the vast majority of these Veterans go untreated due to patient, provider, and organizational barriers. By providing an option for care that is easily accessible, private, and self-directed, mobile applications (apps) circumvent many of the often-cited barriers to alcohol use treatment.
However, poor patient engagement remains the Achilles’ heel of these apps.
Through supportive accountability, Peer Specialists can maximize the reach and engagement of these apps with patients and improve drinking outcomes.
If successful, our proposed research has the potential to transform care and increase access to alcohol-related services for Veterans who engage in hazardous drinking but rarely seek treatment and, in turn, mitigate the adverse health outcomes that stem from untreated hazardous drinking.
Funder: Veterans Affairs
NIH website
Publications of note:
— Stand Down-Think Before You Drink: protocol for an effectiveness-implementation trial of a mobile application for unhealthy alcohol use with and without peer support.

SALIENT-SCOUTT: Integration of Opioid Use Disorder Treatment in General Medical Care

Role: Co-PI with Mary Jo Pugh, PhD, RN, Jolie Haun, PhD, and P. Jon White, MD
The StrAtegic PoLicy Evidence-Based Evaluation CeNTer (SALIENT) will provide evidence that supports implementation of programs and policies based on rigorously conducted evaluations
Publications of note:
— SALIENT QUERI

Combining a Smartphone App with Medications to Manage Heavy Drinking

Pre-funded VA HSR&D study. Details will be added.

Evaluating the Feasibility and Acceptability of a Mobile Application for Self-management of Unhealthy Alcohol Use

Role: PI
Funder: Veterans Affairs, HSR&D
Learn more at VA HSR&D website

Comparative Safety of Benzodiazepines and Opioids Among VA Patients with PTSD

Role: PI
Funder: Veterans Affairs, HSR&D
Learn more at VA HSR&D website

Collaborative Care Management for Complex, Recurrent Substance Use Disorders

Role: PI
Funder: Veterans Affairs, HSR&D
Learn more at VA HSR&D website

Evaluating a Medication Alert to Reduce Concurrent Opioid and Benzodiazepine Use

Role: PI
Funder: Veterans Affairs, HSR&D
Learn more at VA HSR&D website

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Recent Publications

2023

Blanchard BE, Lynch KG, Malte CA, Hawkins EJ, DePhilippis D, Oslin DW, McKay JR, Saxon AJ. Towards shortening the Brief Addiction Monitor-Revised (BAM-R). Drug Alcohol Depend Rep. 2023 Aug 6;8:100183. doi: 10.1016/j.dadr.2023.100183. PMCID: PMC10448406.
PMID: 37637231
Learn more about this publication at Dimensions

Frost MC, Soyer EM, Achtmeyer CE, Hawkins EJ, Glass JE, Hallgren KA, Williams EC. Treating opioid use disorder in veterans with co-occurring substance use: a qualitative study with buprenorphine providers in primary care, mental health, and pain settings. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2023 May 4;18(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s13722-023-00382-1. PMCID: PMC10157128.
PMID: 37143162
Learn more about this publication at Dimensions

Turner AP, Arewasikporn A, Hawkins EJ, Suri P, Burns SP, Leipertz SL, Haselkorn JK. Risk factors for chronic prescription opioid use in Multiple Sclerosis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2023 May 1:S0003-9993(23)00253-8. doi: 10.1016/j.apmr.2023.04.012. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 37137460
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Blonigen DM, Hawkins EJ, Kuhn E, Timko C, Dulin PL, Boothroyd D, Possemato K. Stand Down-Think Before You Drink: protocol for an effectiveness-implementation trial of a mobile application for unhealthy alcohol use with and without peer support. BMJ Open. 2023 Apr 13;13(4):e072892. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-072892. PMCID: PMC10106019.
PMID: 37055201
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Lott AM, Danner AN, Malte CA, Williams EC, Gordon AJ, Halvorson MA, Saxon AJ, Hagedorn HJ, Sayre GG, Hawkins EJ. Clinician Perspectives on Delivering Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Evaluation. J Addict Med. 2023 Mar 2. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001156. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 36862502
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2022

Frost MC, Hawkins EJ, Glass JE, Hallgren KA, Williams EC. Associations Between Distinct Co-occurring Substance Use Disorders and Receipt of Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in the Veterans Health Administration. J Addict Med. 2022 Oct 18. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000001095. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 36255116
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Hawkins EJ, Lott AM, Danner AN, Malte CA, Dulin PL, Fortney JC, Sayre GG, Baer JS. U.S. veterans' experiences and factors associated with use of a smartphone application to self-manage unhealthy alcohol use. Psychol Serv. 2022 Oct 13. doi: 10.1037/ser0000716. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 36227298
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Frost MC, Richards JE, Blosnich JR, Hawkins EJ, Tsui JI, Edelman EJ, Williams EC. Association between clinically recognized suicidality and subsequent initiation or continuation of medications for opioid use disorder. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2022 Jun 3;237:109521. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109521. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35716644
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Radmall AO, Calder S, Codell N, Kelley AT, Hawkins E, Jones AL, Hagedorn HJ, Reynolds MA, Gordon AJ. Roles and Perceptions of Nurses During Implementation of a Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder National Initiative. J Addict Nurs. 2022 Apr-Jun 01;33(2):70-79. doi: 10.1097/JAN.0000000000000455.
PMID: 35640210
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Beckman KL, Williams EC, Hebert P, Hawkins EJ, Littman AJ, Lehavot K. The impact of military sexual trauma and gender on receipt of evidence-based medication treatment among veterans with opioid use disorder. J Subst Abuse Treat. 2022 Mar 18:108775. doi: 10.1016/j.jsat.2022.108775. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35317959
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Steel TL, Malte CA, Bradley KA, Hawkins EJ. Benzodiazepine Treatment and Hospital Course of Medical Inpatients With Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in the Veterans Health Administration. Mayo Clin Proc Innov Qual Outcomes. 2022 Feb 15;6(2):126-136. doi: 10.1016/j.mayocpiqo.2021.11.010. PMCID: PMC8855212.
PMID: 35224452.
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Gordon AJ, Kenny M, Dungan M, Gustavson AM, Taylor Kelley A, Jones AL, Hawkins E, Frank JW, Danner A, Liberto J, Hagedorn H. Are x-waiver trainings enough? Facilitators and barriers to buprenorphine prescribing after x-waiver trainings. Am J Addict. 2022 Feb 3. doi: 10.1111/ajad.13260. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35118756
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Bagge CL, Littlefield AK, Wiegand TJ, Hawkins E, Trim RS, Schumacher JA, Simons K, Conner KR. A controlled examination of acute warning signs for suicide attempts among hospitalized patients. Psychol Med. 2022 Jan 25:1-9. doi: 10.1017/S0033291721004712. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 35074021
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2021

Hagan S, Achtmeyer CE, Hood C, Hawkins EJ, Williams EC. Opioid use disorder from poppy seed tea successfully treated with buprenorphine in primary care: a case report. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2021 Dec 3;16(1):71. doi: 10.1186/s13722-021-00280-4. PMCID: PMC8641214.
PMID: 34861895

Hawkins EJ, Malte CA, Gordon AJ, Williams EC, Hagedorn HJ, Drexler K, Blanchard BE, Burden JL, Knoeppel J, Danner AN, Lott A, Liberto JG, Saxon AJ. Accessibility to Medication for Opioid Use Disorder After Interventions to Improve Prescribing Among Nonaddiction Clinics in the US Veterans Health Care System. JAMA Netw Open. 2021 Dec 1;4(12):e2137238. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2021.37238.
PMID: 34870679

Beckman KL, Williams EC, Hebert PL, Frost MC, Rubinsky AD, Hawkins EJ, Littman AJ, Lehavot K. Associations Among Military Sexual Trauma, Opioid Use Disorder, and Gender. Am J Prev Med. 2021 Nov 3:S0749-3797(21)00505-5. doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2021.08.020. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 34742619.

Hawkins EJ, Danner AN, Malte CA, Blanchard BE, Williams EC, Hagedorn HJ, Gordon AJ, Drexler K, Burden JL, Knoeppel J, Lott A, Sayre GG, Midboe AM, Saxon AJ. Clinical leaders and providers' perspectives on delivering medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder in Veteran Affairs' facilities. Addict Sci Clin Pract. 2021 Sep 6;16(1):55. doi: 10.1186/s13722-021-00263-5. PMCID: PMC8419813.
PMID: 34488892.

Malte CA, Dulin PL, Baer JS, Fortney JC, Danner AN, Lott AMK, Hawkins EJ. Usability and Acceptability of a Mobile App for the Self-Management of Alcohol Misuse Among Veterans (Step Away): Pilot Cohort Study. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth. 2021 Apr 8;9(4):e25927. doi: 10.2196/25927.
PMID: 33830064.

Hawkins EJ, Lott AM, Danner AN, Malte CA, Hagedorn HJ, Berger D, Donovan LM, Sayre GG, Mariano AJ, Saxon AJ. Primary Care and Mental Health Prescribers, Key Clinical Leaders, and Clinical Pharmacist Specialists' Perspectives on Opioids and Benzodiazepines. Pain Med. 2021 Mar 1:pnaa435. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa435. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 33661287

2020

Steel TL, Malte CA, Bradley KA, Hawkins EJ. Use of Electronic Health Record Data to Estimate the Probability of Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in a National Cohort of Hospitalized Veterans. J Addict Med. 2020 Dec 14. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000782. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 33323689

Edmonds AT, Bensley KM, Hawkins EJ, Williams EC. Geographic differences in receipt of addictions treatment in a national sample of patients with alcohol use disorders from the U.S. Veterans Health Administration. Subst Abus. 2020 Aug 21:1-10. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2020.1803176. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 32821028

Koffel E, DeRonne B, Hawkins EJ. Co-prescribing of Opioids with Benzodiazepines and Other Hypnotics for Chronic Pain and Insomnia: Trends and Health Outcomes. Pain Med. 2020 Oct 1;21(10):2055-2059. doi: 10.1093/pm/pnaa054.
PMID: 32186734

Carter SP, Malte CA, Rojas SM, Hawkins EJ, Reger MA. Examination of potential disparities in suicide risk identification and follow-up care within the Veterans Health Administration. Suicide Life Threat Behav. 2020 Dec;50(6):1127-1139. doi: 10.1111/sltb.12673. Epub 2020 Jul 28. PMCID: PMC7746590.
PMID: 33196113

Gordon AJ, Drexler K, Hawkins EJ, Burden J, Codell NK, Mhatre-Owens A, Dungan MT, Hagedorn H. Stepped Care for Opioid Use Disorder Train the Trainer (SCOUTT) initiative: Expanding access to medication treatment for opioid use disorder within Veterans Health Administration facilities. Subst Abus. 2020;41(3):275-282. doi: 10.1080/08897077.2020.1787299.
PMID: 32697170

Steel TL, Malte CA, Bradley KA, Lokhandwala S, Hough CL, Hawkins EJ. Prevalence and Variation of Clinically Recognized Inpatient Alcohol Withdrawal Syndrome in the Veterans Health Administration. J Addict Med. 2020 Jul/Aug;14(4):300-304. doi: 10.1097/ADM.0000000000000576. PMCID: PMC7148193.
PMID: 31609866

2019

Rebekah M. Barton, Carol A. Malte & Eric J. Hawkins (2020) Smoking cessation group attendance in a substance use disorder clinic: a look at contingency management and other factors to maximize engagement, Journal of Social Work Practice in the Addictions, 20:1, 19-30, DOI: 10.1080/1533256X.2020.1702339
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/1533256X.2020.1702339

Williams EC, Bobb JF, Lee AK, Ludman EJ, Richards JE, Hawkins EJ, Merrill JO, Saxon AJ, Lapham GT, Matson TE, Chavez LJ, Caldeiro R, Greenberg DM, Kivlahan DR, Bradley KA. Effect of a Care Management Intervention on 12-Month Drinking Outcomes Among Patients With and Without DSM-IV Alcohol Dependence at Baseline. J Gen Intern Med. 2019 Dec 10. doi: 10.1007/s11606-019-05261-7. Epub ahead of print.
PMID: 31432438

Donovan LM, Malte CA, Spece LJ, Griffith MF, Feemster LC, Zeliadt SB, Au DH, Hawkins EJ. Center Predictors of Long-Term Benzodiazepine Use in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2019 Sep;16(9):1151-1157. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201901-048OC. PMC6812159
PMID: 31113231

Rubinsky AD, Chavez LJ, Berger D, Lapham GT, Hawkins EJ, Williams EC, Bradley KA. Utility of routine alcohol screening for monitoring changes in alcohol consumption. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2019 Aug 1;201:155-160. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2019.03.010. Epub 2019 May 8. PMC7001877
PMID: 31229703

Hawkins EJ, Goldberg SB, Malte CA, Saxon AJ. New Coprescription of Opioids and Benzodiazepines and Mortality Among Veterans Affairs Patients With Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. J Clin Psychiatry. 2019 Jul 9;80(4):18m12689. doi: 10.4088/JCP.18m12689.
PMID: 31294933

Donovan LM, Malte CA, Spece LJ, Griffith MF, Feemster LC, Engelberg RA, Au DH, Hawkins EJ. Risks of Benzodiazepines in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease with Comorbid Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Ann Am Thorac Soc. 2019 Jan;16(1):82-90. doi: 10.1513/AnnalsATS.201802-145OC. PMC6344455
PMID: 30309243

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