Project Grant K99DA065902

This K99/R00 Project Grant awarded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse under the Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs (CFDA 93.279) supports the development and preliminary testing of a brief, evidence-based intervention designed to reduce substance-related harm and enhance treatment engagement among young adults aged 18-25 with opioid use disorder (OUD). The award, totaling $320,184, was made to Brown University and runs from July 1, 2026, through August 31, 2028. The project addresses a critical clinical gap, as young adults experience disproportionately high opioid overdose rates and prematurely discontinue medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD)—the most effective treatment available—with only 15% continuing treatment beyond six months. The initial weeks following MOUD cessation represent the period of highest overdose risk and mortality.

The deliverables span two phases: the K99 phase includes recruitment and engagement of young adults with OUD who prematurely terminated treatment, prescribers, and clinicians to conduct focus groups and individual interviews assessing system- and individual-level barriers to treatment (targeting 40 participants), along with a preliminary feasibility pilot study evaluating intervention acceptability and feasibility (5 participants). The R00 phase will deliver a six-session randomized pilot trial (68 participants) to examine intervention effectiveness. This co-development approach ensures the intervention is tailored to the distinct developmental and clinical needs of young adults and addresses the documented acute harms associated with treatment discontinuation.