Methods
RECRUITMENT, ABUSE, EMERGENCY
Screening, Motivational Assessment, Referral, and Treatment in Emergency Departments (SMART-ED) was a National Drug Abuse Treatment Clinical Trials Network (CTN) protocol designed to assess the impact of a brief intervention with individuals screening positive for moderate to severe problems related to use of non-alcohol, non-nicotine drugs. We implemented a multisite, randomized clinical trial at six academic EDs in the United States and leveraged a variety of methods to successfully recruit and retain study participants throughout the 12-month study course. Recruitment and retention success is attributed to appropriate site selection, leveraging technology, and gathering adequate contact information from participants at their initial study visit.