The federal Project Grant award R01DA058664, funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (CFDA 93.279 Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs), provides $706,498 to Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey to examine participation patterns, outcomes, and experiences related to pre-release medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and peer navigation services for individuals with substance use disorders being released from prisons in New Jersey.
The study aims to: 1) analyze uptake and retention of pre- and post-release MOUD and peer navigation services; 2) assess the effectiveness of these interventions in supporting recovery outcomes over the re-entry period; and 3) document the perspectives of participants, providers, and other stakeholders on implementation and adaptation of the programs. Boston University is serving as a sub-grantee, contributing qualitative research on participants' experiences. This large-scale, 5-year project leverages New Jersey's system-wide implementation of pre-release MOUD and peer navigation to generate evidence that can inform substance use treatment and recovery support strategies for justice-involved populations.