Study Targets High Addiction Treatment Staff Turnover
A $6 million NIH grant funds research into why residential addiction treatment staff in Massachusetts leave their jobs.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Substance Abuse
Live Poll
Would you consider taking a job in addiction treatment in your community?
Boston College researcher Erika Sabbath received a $6 million National Institutes of Health grant in August to study why staff leave residential addiction treatment centers. The project, called Re-SHAPE, will focus on Massachusetts facilities where turnover reaches as high as 55 percent.
Why it matters
High staff turnover in residential addiction treatment affects both the workers who deliver care and the patients who depend on continuity in their recovery. The grant reflects growing recognition that the workforce itself is part of the treatment infrastructure in Massachusetts.
The $6 million NIH grant funds a workforce study of residential addiction treatment staff in Massachusetts, with turnover rates in these centers reaching up to 55 percent. The project is at the design stage, and no outcomes have been reported yet.
The players
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university in Massachusetts whose School of Social Work conducts research on behavioral health and social services.
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health is the U.S. federal agency that funds biomedical and public health research, including studies of substance use and addiction treatment.
The details
Re-SHAPE, the Residential Staff Health and Advancement Program for Excellence in Care, will work with staff in Massachusetts residential addiction treatment centers to improve the overall employee experience. Rather than focusing on individual coping tools such as mindfulness, the project aims to build a framework that supports many workers at once. The approach treats retention as an organizational problem rather than a personal one.
Timeline
August 2026: Sabbath received the $6 million NIH grant to launch the Re-SHAPE project.
Health Landscape
Federal research funding for addiction has historically concentrated on treatments and medications for patients. This grant shifts attention toward the clinicians and staff who deliver residential care, a workforce question that has received comparatively little study.
If you or a loved one is in residential addiction treatment, staff continuity can affect the consistency of care, so it is reasonable to ask a treatment provider how they support their workforce. Anyone seeking care should also feel free to discuss treatment options and provider stability with their physician or a licensed counselor.
The takeaway
Workforce stability is a meaningful but often overlooked part of addiction treatment quality, and studies like Re-SHAPE aim to address it at the organizational level. Patients considering residential care can ask providers how they support staff retention and continuity of care.
Further reading
For broader context on treatment access and recovery programs, explore Substance Abuse coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by The Heights.
Live Poll
Would you consider taking a job in addiction treatment in your community?
