Linking Individuals Needing Care for Substance Use Disorders to Peer Coaches & Across INcarceration Settings

NCT07563517 | Not Yet Recruiting DMC

• 2 other identifiers: 2025P0129361R01DA064519-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 550
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 3

Brief Summary

The goal of this study is to learn whether a virtual peer recovery coach (PRC) intervention can improve engagement in addiction treatment among incarcerated adults with substance use disorders. The main questions it aims to answer are:

• Does the PRC intervention increase engagement with at least one recovery resource at 30 and 90 days?
• Does it improve secondary outcomes such as substance use, recovery capital, overdose events, and recidivism? Researchers will compare Treatment-as-Usual with the PRC telehealth intervention to see if PRC support improves engagement in addiction care. Participants will:
• Complete baseline and follow-up assessments
• Receive either Treatment-as-Usual or a virtual PRC session focused on motivational interviewing and linkage to recovery resources

Conditions

Substance Use

Keywords

Support groups; Recovery; Substance use disorders during incarceration

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Engagement With at Least One Recovery Resource

  Engagement with at least one recovery resource, defined as: * Formal addiction treatment (visit with a physician, psychologist, or licensed substance use counselor; or ≥1 night in detoxification or residential treatment), or * Recovery Community Organization (RCO) participation (contact, intake, and participation in ≥1 evidence-based recovery activity), or * Harm reduction organization engagement. Engagement may occur during incarceration or in the community after release.

  30 days and 90 days after enrollment

Secondary Outcomes (12)

• Days Receiving Medications for Substance Use Disorders

  Baseline to 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 1 year

• Recidivism and Justice Involvement

  Baseline to 1 year

• Healthcare Utilization

  Baseline to 1 year

• Recovery Capital (BARC-10)

  Baseline, 30, 90, 180 days, and 1 year

• Number of Peer Recovery Coach Contacts

  Baseline to 30 days, 90 days, 180 days, and 1 year

Study Arms (2)

PRC group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants meet virtually with a trained peer recovery coach using a secure telehealth platform. PRCs use motivational interviewing, assess readiness to change, and provide individualized linkage to recovery resources. Support may include connection to medications for opioid use disorder, residential treatment, detoxification centers, harm reduction services, mutual support groups, sober living, or recovery community organizations. PRCs may also conduct post-release check-ins to support ongoing engagement.

Behavioral: Virtual Peer Recovery Coaching

Standard of Care

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants receive the jail's standard approach to substance use support. This includes a review of available community treatment and recovery resources consistent with existing facility practices. No peer recovery coach is involved, and no additional study-driven services are provided.

Behavioral: Treatment as Usual

Interventions

Virtual Peer Recovery Coaching BEHAVIORAL

A telehealth session with a peer recovery coach who provides motivational interviewing and tailored linkage to addiction treatment and recovery resources.

PRC group

Treatment as Usual BEHAVIORAL

Participants are provided information about community-based addiction treatment and recovery resources as part of routine jail processes.

Standard of Care

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Incarcerated at participating jail
• Able to speak and understand English
• Score of 3 or greater - "moderate level", "substantial level", or "severe level" of problems related to drug abuse - on DAST-10.
• Willing to follow study procedures and complete research follow-up calls
• Have at least two reliable contact numbers, e.g. participant and one or more relatives or close friends

You may not qualify if:

• Cognitive impairment (inability to comprehend the informed consent document as assessed by study staff during enrollment)
• Prior participation in the study
• Awaiting transfer to prison or jail outside the state of Georgia

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Emory University: lead
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): collaborator

Study Sites (3)

Atlanta City Detention Center

Atlanta, Georgia, 30303, United States

Location

Fulton County Jail

Atlanta, Georgia, 30318, United States

Location

Dekalb County Jail

Decatur, Georgia, 30032, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Substance-Related Disorders

Interventions

Therapeutics

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Chemically-Induced Disorders; Mental Disorders

Study Officials

• Joseph Carpenter, MD

  Emory University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Central Study Contacts

Joseph Carpenter, MD

CONTACT

404-778-5975; jecarpe@emory.edu

Yan Li

CONTACT

yan.li@emory.edu

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 22, 2026
• First Posted: May 4, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2030
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2030
• Last Updated: May 4, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

US (3)