Support Towards Addiction Recovery for Individuals With Criminal Legal System Involvement: The STAR Project

NCT07596251 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 2 other identifiers: 111148R61DA064790
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 8
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to determine whether a new, paired coaching intervention improves outcomes for individuals with criminal legal system involvement recovering from substance use disorder, as well as the loved ones of those individuals. The initial phase (Year 1) includes a small preliminary pilot examining the feasibility of the intervention. During the full clinical trial (Years 2-5), this study aims to answer whether this approach...

• ...improves the recovering person's recovery capital?
• ...improves well-being, as well as resource knowledge and awareness, for the loved one?
• ...improves social support and connection among both individuals? Participants will:
• Meet regularly one-on-one with their individual coaches (a Recovery Coach for the recovering person; a Loved One Coach for the loved one) during the 6 week intervention period
• Meet regularly as a group of four (both coaches and both participants) during this same period
• Complete follow-up interviews with research staff at 6- and 12-weeks after beginning the study

Conditions

Addiction

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (7)

• Feasibility of STAR Intervention in Dyads

  Survey questions will be given to measure feasibility.

  Immediately following intervention sessions during 6-week feasibility pilot.

• Acceptability of STAR Intervention in Dyads

  Survey questions will be given to measure acceptability.

  Immediately following intervention sessions during 6-week feasibility pilot.

• Recovery capital

  For recovering persons: The internal and external resources that impact an individual's capacity to initiate and sustain recovery, including physical, cultural, human, and social resources. Will be measured using the Multidimensional Inventory of Recovery Capital (MIRC, 28 items).

  Assessed at enrollment and 6- and 12-weeks post-enrollment

• Psychological well-being

  For loved ones: Positive affect, life satisfaction, and an overall sense of purpose and meaning. Assessed using the Neuro-QOL Positive Affect and Well-Being scale (23 items).

  Assessed at enrollment and 6- and 12-weeks post-enrollment

• SUD and CLS knowledge and resource awareness

  For loved ones: Accurate knowledge about SUD (including recovery, treatment, harm reduction) and CLS; awareness of local resources to help with SUD/CLS involvement. Assessed using knowledge assessment and count of local resources known.

  Assessed at enrollment and 6- and 12-weeks post-enrollment

• Support functions

  For loved ones and recovering persons: Number and types of support functions provided by network members, assessed using egocentric social network inventory.

  Assessed at enrollment and 6- and 12-weeks post-enrollment

• Social connection

  For loved ones and recovering persons: Level of trust, closeness, and frequency of contact with network members, assessed using egocentric social network inventory.

  Assessed at enrollment and 6- and 12-weeks post-enrollment

Study Arms (1)

STAR Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Behavioral: STAR Intervention

Interventions

STAR Intervention BEHAVIORAL

The STAR intervention is a dyadic coaching model designed to support individuals with substance use disorder and criminal legal system involvement alongside their identified loved ones.

STAR Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 99 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may not qualify if:

• Recovering persons must meet the following criteria: (1) at least 18 years old, (2) have been involved with the criminal legal system (arrested, incarcerated, or on community supervision like parole or probation) within the past 12 months; (3) meet criteria for a substance use disorder within the past 12 months; (4) be interested in working with a recovery coach to support your recovery (defined as engaging in any changes to improve your health and wellness), (6) can identify at least one person who is supportive of their recovery.
• Loved ones must meet the following criteria: (1) at least 18 years old, (2) are interested in receiving additional supports and/or information about their loved one's substance use and criminal legal system involvement; (3) anticipate being available for weekly participation in intervention activities; and (4) are willing to support their loved one's recovery.
• Loved ones will be excluded from participation if they: (1) already have a professional relationship with the recovering person (e.g., as a counselor, sponsor, or peer recovery support specialist); (2) meet substance use disorder criteria for any past 30-day drug or alcohol use; or (3) have a history of domestic violence or protective orders.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Martha Tillson: lead
• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA): collaborator

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Behavior, Addictive

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Compulsive Behavior; Impulsive Behavior; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 13, 2026
• First Posted: May 19, 2026
• Study Start (Estimated): September 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2031
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2031
• Last Updated: May 19, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05