Peer Support for Opioid Use Disorder

Overseen By Maggie Kaufmann, M.P.H.

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Illinois at Chicago

Disqualifiers: Under 18, Non-English/Spanish speakers, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 4

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to assist older adults on Chicago’s West Side who use opioids by reducing the stigma and barriers they face in accessing harm reduction (HR) services. The Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention will train non-substance-using friends and family members to become peer HR support champions. These champions will learn about overdose prevention and how to support their loved ones who use opioids. Participants will receive resources such as naloxone (a medication that reverses opioid overdoses) and fentanyl test strips. The trial seeks individuals who use opioids and live on the West Side of Chicago, along with their non-drug-using friends or family who wish to help them. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to directly contribute to community health and support loved ones.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications. It seems focused on harm reduction and social support, so it's unlikely that stopping medications is required.

What prior data suggests that this intervention is safe?

Research has shown that peer support services, such as the Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention, can be safely implemented. Studies have found that these programs, when integrated into a larger treatment plan, do not present major safety concerns. They emphasize education and support rather than medical treatments, making them generally manageable for participants.

Although specific studies on the side effects of this exact program are lacking, similar peer support programs have not reported major safety issues. Participants receive training and tools like naloxone and fentanyl test strips, which help reduce harm. This focus on education and community support helps lower risks and improve well-being. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention because it takes a unique approach by leveraging the power of social support. Unlike traditional treatments for opioid use disorder, which often focus on medical interventions like medications or counseling, this method recruits non-substance-using friends and family members to become trained champions in harm reduction. These peer champions help bridge the gap in accessing harm reduction tools and services, such as naloxone and fentanyl test strips, while also reducing stigma and increasing social support. By involving loved ones in the process, this intervention has the potential to create more sustainable and accessible support networks, ultimately aiming to reduce overdose risks and improve outcomes for individuals using opioids.

What evidence suggests that the Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention could be effective for opioid use disorder?

This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention, which trains non-substance-using friends and family members of people who use opioids to become peer support champions. Studies have shown that peer support programs can effectively assist individuals with opioid use disorder by increasing harm reduction service use and reducing overdoses. Research indicates that involving peers who have recovered from substance use can help others begin treatment and prevent future overdoses. Initial findings suggest that training friends and family to act as peer support champions can reduce stigma and increase social support. This approach not only helps people access important resources but also encourages open conversations about harm reduction. ^{2 3 5 6 7}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Leslie D. Williams, Ph.D.

Principal Investigator

University of Illinois Chicago

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for non-substance-using friends and family members of opioid users on Chicago's West side. They'll be trained as peer harm reduction support champions to help their loved ones access services and reduce stigma. Participants must recruit an opioid-using friend or family member to join the study.

Inclusion Criteria

I live in Chicago, know someone using opioids there, and want to help without using hard drugs myself.

I am over 18, live in Chicago, haven't used hard drugs in a year, and can support a friend who uses drugs.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Non-substance-using friends and family members are trained to become peer harm reduction support champions and facilitate harm reduction support for people who use opioids.

4 weeks

1 visit (in-person) for training, ongoing virtual support

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in harm reduction service access, overdose frequency, and stigma reduction.

6 months

3 visits (in-person or virtual) at 1, 3, and 6 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention

Trial Overview

The intervention educates participants about harm reduction, provides naloxone and fentanyl test kits, and facilitates open discussions between them and their opioid-using peers. Its effectiveness in increasing service use, reducing overdoses, and decreasing stigma will be evaluated over time.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Peer Harm Reduction Support Champion Intervention Active Control 1 Intervention

This intervention will recruit non-substance-using friends and family members of people who use opioids and live on the West side of Chicago, educate them on harm reduction (HR) tools and services, and train them to become peer HR support champions. They will be asked to recruit one friend or family member who uses opioids to the study, who will also be provided with an educational training on overdose risk reduction and available HR tools and services. The intervention will then facilitate a counselor-led initial conversation between peer HR support champions and their friend or family member who uses opioids, to help establish HR-related support, and will provide all participants with naloxone and fentanyl test strip kits. This intervention will not only provide another mechanism through which people who use opioids can access HR tools and services, thereby reducing logistical barriers to access and preventing overdose, but it should also reduce stigma and increase social support.

Group II: Non-equivalent comparison group of PWUD with some recent access to harm reduction services Active Control 1 Intervention

A non-equivalent comparison group will be recruited of people who use drugs (PWUD) who have recently (in the last six months) accessed harm reduction services from one of the study's community partners.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Illinois at Chicago

Lead Sponsor

Trials

653

Recruited

1,574,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral interventions for opioid use disorder (OUD) delivered by certified peer recovery support specialists versus licensed clinical social workers (LCSWs) in a randomized trial involving 650 high-risk patients over 18 months.

The primary goals are to measure how well these interventions promote engagement in OUD treatment within 30 days and reduce recurrent emergency department visits for opioid overdose within 18 months, providing valuable insights into effective treatment strategies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Randomised clinical trial of an emergency department-based peer recovery support intervention to increase treatment uptake and reduce recurrent overdose among individuals at high risk for opioid overdose: study protocol for the navigator trial. Goedel, WC., Marshall, BDL., Samuels, EA., et al.[2023]

Peer support models have been effective in helping individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) start treatment and reduce relapse rates, highlighting their potential in addressing the opioid crisis.

Integrating peer coaches into online interventions within community settings shows promise for engaging people with OUD, suggesting a novel approach to enhance treatment accessibility and support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Role of Peer Coaches in Digital Interventions for MOUD Initiation and Maintenance. Garett, R., Young, SD.[2023]

A study involving 32 participants indicated that a peer recovery specialist-delivered behavioral activation intervention could be both feasible and acceptable for supporting retention in methadone treatment for opioid use disorder.

Participants highlighted the potential of this intervention to address challenges related to unstructured time in treatment, suggesting that peer support could enhance engagement and outcomes for underserved populations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"Sometimes you have to take the person and show them how": adapting behavioral activation for peer recovery specialist-delivery to improve methadone treatment retention. Kleinman, MB., Anvari, MS., Bradley, VD., et al.[2023]

A pilot randomized controlled trial involving 25 hospitalized adults with opioid use disorder (OUD) tested a peer recovery coach intervention to improve retention in medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) after discharge.

The study found no significant differences in MOUD retention rates, hospital readmissions, or time to treatment discontinuation between the recovery coach intervention group and the treatment-as-usual group, indicating that the intervention did not enhance treatment outcomes.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Peer Recovery Coach Intervention for Hospitalized Patients with Opioid Use Disorder: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Suzuki, J., Martin, B., Loguidice, F., et al.[2023]

A qualitative study involving 26 patients receiving methadone treatment found that a peer recovery specialist-delivered behavioral activation intervention (Peer Activate) was perceived as acceptable and feasible, particularly due to its flexibility and the supportive qualities of the peer specialists.

Participants highlighted the importance of connecting with the intervention content and building skills, while also noting stigma related to substance use and methadone treatment as barriers to engagement, suggesting that addressing these issues could enhance treatment retention.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

"You rise up and then you start pulling people up with you": Patient experiences with a peer-delivered behavioral activation intervention to support methadone treatment. Kleinman, MB., Hines, AC., Anvari, MS., et al.[2023]

In a pilot study involving 80 adults with recent non-fatal opioid overdoses, trained peer interventionists successfully delivered a Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) intervention, achieving a treatment enrollment success rate between 16% and 60%.

The interventionists reported no negative effects from their role, indicating that peer-led interventions can be implemented safely and effectively with limited training, although further research is needed to understand the factors influencing their varying success rates.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The feasibility and safety of training patients in opioid treatment to serve as peer recovery support service interventionists. Kropp, F., Wilder, C., Theobald, J., et al.[2022]

Peer recovery support services (PRSS) have been integrated into the recovery process for opioid use disorder (OUD), but their effectiveness on clinical outcomes remains unclear, as only 12 out of 123 studies met the inclusion criteria for review.

Most studies reported on PRSS engagement and medication for OUD (MOUD) initiation, but findings were inconsistent and varied due to the lack of standardized PRSS interventions and methodological limitations, indicating a need for further research before widespread implementation.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of peer recovery support services on stages of the opioid use disorder treatment cascade: A systematic review. Gormley, MA., Pericot-Valverde, I., Diaz, L., et al.[2022]

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8384642/

Using Implementation Interventions and Peer Recovery ...

Effectiveness outcomes include participant engagement in MOUD (primary), probation revocation, illicit opioid use, and overdoses. Other aims include identifying ...

2.

withpower.com

withpower.com/trial/phase-opioid-overdose-prevention-7-2025-92f44

Peer Support for Opioid Use Disorder · Info for Participants

The intervention's efficacy will be evaluated for a) increasing uptake/use of HR services, b) decreasing overdose frequency, and c) decreasing stigma and other ...

3.

jamanetwork.com

jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2816733

Emergency Department Peer Support Program and Patient ...

In this cohort study of patients treated for opioid overdose, OORP implementation was associated with an increase in MOUD initiation and a decrease in repeat ...

4.

sciencedirect.com

sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0740547222001192

Emergency department interventions for opioid use disorder

A study of patients in Massachusetts EDs found that 5 % who survived an opioid overdose died within one year of ED discharge; 20 % of deaths were within one ...

5.

publichealth.uic.edu

publichealth.uic.edu/profiles/williams-leslie/

Williams, Leslie D. | School of Public Health

This project will work with faith-based organizations and other community partners to implement and evaluate a peer harm reduction champion intervention to ...

6.

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/n/aspebhdapoud/ch3/

Findings - Emergency Department Interventions for Opioid ...

Peer support services can be implemented both as part of a comprehensive program of ED-based OUD treatment that includes medication initiation and as a ...

7.

pew.org

pew.org/en/research-and-analysis/issue-briefs/2022/10/states-should-measure-opioid-use-disorder-treatment-to-improve-outcomes

States Should Measure Opioid Use Disorder Treatment to ...

Medication is the most effective treatment for opioid use disorder. Methadone and buprenorphine, in particular, reduce the risk of overdose, ...