MI-ACRE Advancing addiction care award     

Award Amount:  Up to $2,000 per recipient

Award Recipients: Up to 3 recipients awarded per calendar year

Application Process: Rolling deadline until award limit is reached. Application is designed to be brief.

Review Process: Decisions within 30 days of application submission (no lengthy waiting periods!) We will prioritize applications with greater potential impacts on improving addiction care.

Funding can support a range of activities including but not limited to:

• Addiction training and coursework

• Hosting guest speakers

• Organizing & hosting training events (including refreshments)

• Supporting community or research projects focused on improving addiction care

Please contact UM-MIACRE@med.umich.edu if you have questions about if specific activities would be supported.

Kelly Chen, MD

Dr. Chen leveraged her 2025 MI-ACRE award to attend the Cape Cod Symposium on Addictive Disorders in September 2025, where she deepened her understanding of substance use in youth populations. Drawing from insights gained at the symposium, Dr. Chen incorporated evidence-based perspectives into a scholarly article examining media portrayal of child and adolescent mental health, trauma, and substance use. This work, currently under review in the prestigious Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, demonstrates how professional development opportunities can directly translate into meaningful contributions to the field of addiction psychiatry and youth mental health advocacy.

Alexis Skuras, CNS

Ms. Skuras utilized her 2025 MI-ACRE award to obtain the Certified Addictions Registered Nurse - Advanced Practice (CARN-AP) certification, becoming one of only twelve advanced practice nurses in Michigan to hold this prestigious credential, the highest national certification for addiction care specialists. Since achieving this milestone, Ms. Skuras has launched her own clinic specializing in mental health and substance use disorders, offering comprehensive telehealth and in-person services throughout Michigan with a harm reduction approach that includes medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), hepatitis C and HIV testing, and psychiatric evaluations. Beyond her clinical practice, Ms. Skuras serves as a mentor to other nurses pursuing addiction certification, teaches at Michigan State University, and is expanding her impact by accepting preceptor roles for nurse practitioner students while pursuing her own psychiatric NP degree.

Kinza TareeN, MD

Dr. Tareen received the 2025 MI-ACRE award to pursue her Addiction Medicine Board Certification through the American Board of Preventative Medicine Practice Pathway. Her award will cover her board application and examination fees, positioning her to advance her credentials in the addiction treatment field. Dr. Tareen is strategically planning to take her certification exam in October 2026 and her dedication to professional development reflects her commitment to achieving excellence in addiction care to ensure she is fully prepared to provide the best possible care to her patients.