Welcome to our summer 2025 update. It is hard to believe this year is more than half done and kids are already back in school!

As a reminder, we added "SPeCTr Alumni & Friends" to our distribution list. This group casts a broad net to anyone who has helped us with previous studies or projects or has otherwise been interested in our work and might like to hear what we are doing. Don't worry, we won't clog your inbox -- these newsletters are only sent quarterly (or less) and there is an opt out button below if desired. 

Our SPeCTr website includes the network studies that we have participated in -- all those that are current, upcoming and closed (legacy). From that page, there are links to more information on all of the studies.

Our publications page lists all network publications that SPeCTr has had an author on, as well as other network publications that we have not had an author on. Publications are further divided by study, so you can easily find the ones you might be interested in reviewing.

Linking to those resources is hopefully a cleaner way of sharing all that information rather than trying to cram it all in here. Please check them out.

                                                     --Kristina Foster, RN, MS, APRN-BC, CCRP

SPeCTr is excited to announce that the grant for our network's (ECHO ISPCTN) Data Coordinating and Operations Center has been awarded to KUMC in collaboration with our colleagues at University of Nebraska Medical Center. A snippet is included below...please see full story here.

As you might imagine, there are a lot of moving pieces to transfer an entire network operation from one institution to another. So far, "Heartland DCOC" seems to be quickly taking over the reins and is getting up to speed with the collaboration of the existing DCOC at UAMS.

Additionally, SPeCTr is thrilled to announce that we have received our NOA to participate in the third funding cycle of the network!! Therefore, as of September 1, we will be SPeCTr 3.0!!

ACT NOW Weaning

Study Purpose The goal of the ACT NOW Weaning Study, which is part of the HEAL Initiative, is to help clinicians safely reduce doses of morphine or methadone prescribed to infants with Neonatal Opioid Withdrawal Syndrome (NOWS).

SPeCTr has one site - Children’s Mercy/University Health

Site PI: Dr. Rao                                     Coordinator: Allie Scott.

We enrolled 12 and have one more 24-mo follow up this fall.

NCT04214834

Talk With Me Baby (TWMB)

TWMB is a pilot study to demonstrate the efficacy of embedding universal language promotion (TWMB) in well-child care (WCC) visits for enhancing the home language environment. It is a multicenter trial in two primary care clinics that serve rural/underserved children and families. Our second site for the study is West Virginia.

We aim to enroll a total of 66 parent/infant dyads (33 at each site; infants birth-9 mo of age). Participants do a baseline Language ENvironment Analysis LENA assessment, receive the TWMB intervention at their well-child checks, and then repeat the LENA about a year after the first. 

We are nearing the end of the enrollment period. KS over-enrolled to make up for some enrollment struggles in WV. Watch for more enrollment details our fall update.

Study/Site PI: – Dr. Brenda Salley       Coordinator: Kristina Foster

NCT06479278

Phentermine's Impact on Treatment in Teens (PhiTT)

PhiTT is the network's first FDA/IND study with a late 2025 planned launch. It is a Randomized Placebo-Controlled Trial of Phentermine for Adolescents with Obesity.

I have been on the protocol writing team, and we have been selected as one of 10 sites for this study. We have approval from NIH to run the study from Children's Mercy and use the PCRU with the stipulation that we enroll teens living in Kansas from primary care clinics (not weight management clinics).

Site PI: Dr. Helena Laroche              Co-Investigator: Dr. Bridgette Jones

Sub-Investigator: Dr. Kate Kyler     Network Liaison: Kristina Foster

Coordinators: Kelsey Howell & Meghan Freier

SPeCTr News: 

See above with Big Announcements. We will talk more about our plans for cycle 3 with the next newsletter.

Network News:  

Our next Network Meeting is scheduled for November 12-13 at the NIH in DC.

Professional Development

Heartland DCOC is working on transferring all of the UAMS DCOC Professional Development materials into a new ECHO ISPCTN portal. Stand by for more information as it becomes available.

ECHO Discovery: monthly webinar series with educational presentations for the ECHO community by internal speakers. Both upcoming and past presentation information can be found here. 

Educational Resources on ECHO website.

SPeCTr Research Training page has many resources.

SPeCTr YouTube channel.

For questions or comments, contact Kristina Foster at:     kfoster6@kumc.edu or 913-485-4216 (cell)

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