Professor Christian Vaccaro, in conjunction with faculty teams at the Mid-Atlantic Research and Training Institute for Community and Behavioral Health (MARTI-CBH) and the Administration and Leadership Studies Research and Training Center at IUP, has received a grant to develop the My New Leaf mobile application. The app aims to be utilized by probation officers and recovery professionals who work with both adults and juveniles with drug-related charges.Once in use, the app has the ability to provide crucial information regarding client recovery progress to those overseeing their path towards addiction-free living.
The app will have two separate interfaces: one client-facing, and one clinician-facing. The client-facing technology will be comprised of games and tasks that cater to the millennial age group of 10-35. The games are meant to be engaging and fun for the user, while still providing useful tools to aid in their recovery process. The clinician-facing interface, otherwise referred to as VAL (Virtual Assistant Liaison), is used to pull information from the clients' use of the games and provide data to the recovery professionals. Based on answers or interactions the client provides with the app, probation officers and addiction specialists can make an assessment as to how well they are moving through with their recovery.
My New Leaf Inc. is a 501c3 technology nonprofit centered in Saltsburg, Pennsylvania. The organization was established by 2015 IUP graduate Ryan Brannon, and is dedicated to assisting those struggling with addiction on their journey towards a healthier lifestyle. My New Leaf Inc. will work in tangent with MARTI and ALS-RTC to continue developing this promising new technology and combating substance use disorders.