A Substance Use Disorder Virtual Treatment and Research Platform: A Proof of Concept

Substance use disorders (SUDs) remain a major public health challenge, exacerbated by limited access to care, low treatment engagement, and the disruption of services during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mobile phone applications (MPAs) offer a scalable mechanism for delivering behavioral health interventions; however, existing apps suffer from low engagement, limited methodological rigor, and inflexibility for research and clinical adaptation. This article presents Senyo, a proof-of-concept virtual treatment and research platform designed to support individuals with SUD while enabling systematic evaluation of mobile therapeutic strategies. The platform integrates an extensible mobile application with secure web-based portals for providers and researchers, enabling the delivery of asynchronous cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) content, activity-based goals, and a token-economy-based contingency management (CM) reward system. Social reinforcement is incorporated through clinician messaging and tele-support, enhancing engagement and adherence. The researcher interface allows for real-time modification of modules, surveys, goals, and incentives without additional app development, facilitating blinded, randomized, and comparative studies within a single platform. The system is designed to be HIPAA compliant and aligned with emerging regulatory frameworks for software as a medical device. This work demonstrates the feasibility of a flexible, research-ready digital therapeutic infrastructure and outlines its potential to improve engagement, support evidence-based care, and advance rigorous evaluation of mobile interventions for SUD and related behavioral health conditions.