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.