Skip to main content
OpenTrials
Not Yet Recruiting

NCT Number: NCT07637994

Improving Jail Response to the Overdose Crisis: A Hybrid Trial of Jail ECHO to Improve MOUD Implementation and Public Health Outcomes

This project tests a training strategy to help rural jails start or increase their use of medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD - methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone). Staff from participating jails will attend a series of training sessions, called Project ECHO, that include online learning sessions with skilled experts, case-based discussions (real-world examples), and peer-to-peer learning opportunities. Project ECHO is well-studied in healthcare settings but has rarely been used in correctional systems. Staff from 40 rural jails and local treatment programs will participate in 6 months of core sessions (all participants attend the same sessions), followed by 12 months of continuing sessions (where content is tailored to participants' needs). Staff will complete surveys about their knowledge and experience, and jails will provide data about their services. Researchers will measure changes in MOUD services offered by the jails over time, as well as the impact these changes have on staff's work environment. If Project ECHO helps expand MOUD services, it will offer a blueprint for expanding these life-saving services in other jails nationwide.

Not Yet Recruiting

Trial opening soon.

Get Notified

Key information

Conditions

Opioid Abuse (Disorder) Chemically-Induced Disorders Mental Disorders Narcotic-Related Disorders Opioid-Related Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UMass Chan Medical School

Worcester, Massachusetts, 01655, United States

Location contact

JCOIN ECHO Coordinator

CONTACT

[email protected]

508-856-3515

Rosemarie Martin, PhD

PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Administrative, security, or healthcare staff in participating jails
  • Employed at the facility a minimum of 3 months

Exclusion criteria

  • Ongoing or recent participation in similar organizational improvement project
  • Inability to read or understand English or Spanish

Treatment and study plan

Project ECHO

Behavioral

Virtual learning sessions, case-based discussions, and peer-to-peer learning

Primary outcomes

  1. Increase in MOUD prescriptions (administrative data)

    Time frame: From baseline through the end of sustainment phase (18 months)

    Administrative data tracking the number of MOUD prescriptions will be used to assess whether the jail has increased its use of MOUD to treat opioid use disorder relative to baseline.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Organizational climate - Burnout (BAT-4)

    Time frame: From baseline to end of sustainment period (18 months)

    Staff surveys measure Burnout via the 4-item Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT-4). Items are scored from 1 (never) to 5 (always), and the mean is calculated (higher scores = greater burnout). Change relative to baseline indicates impact of the intervention on this feature of organizational climate.

  2. Organizational climate - Stress (TCU SOF subscale)

    Time frame: From baseline through end of sustainment period (18 months)

    Staff surveys measure Stress via a validated 4-item subscale of the TCU Survey of Organizational Functioning. Items are scored from 1 (disagree) to 5 (agree), and the mean is calculated (higher scores = greater perceived stress). Change relative to baseline indicates impact of the intervention on this feature of organizational climate.

  3. Organizational climate - Job Satisfaction (TCU SOF subscale)

    Time frame: From baseline through end of sustainment period (18 months)

    Staff surveys measure job satisfaction using a 6-item validated subscale from the TCU Survey of Organizational Functioning. Items are scored from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree), and the mean is calculated (higher scores = greater job satisfaction). Change relative to baseline indicates impact of the intervention on this feature of organizational climate.

  4. Impact on Staff Knowledge: Opinions About MAT Questionnaire

    Time frame: From baseline through end of sustainment period (18 months)

    Staff surveys include this 12-item scale, measuring familiarity, receipt of training, and perceived effectiveness of 4 formulations of medications for opioid use disorder. Each item is rated on a 1-5 scale, with higher scores reflecting stronger endorsement. Overall improvements in any of the 3 domains relative to baseline will indicate the intervention had a positive impact on staff knowledge about MOUD.

  5. Disciplinary infractions (administrative data)

    Time frame: From baseline through end of sustainment phase (18 months)

    Administrative data on the number and type of disciplinary infractions in past 6 months will assess the impact of MOUD service expansion on jail operations. Infractions are recorded as violent infractions; non-violent infractions; and instances of MOUD diversion.

  6. Improvement on Opioid Services Cascade (BJS survey module)

    Time frame: From baseline through end of sustainment period (18 months)

    The BJS survey of opioid use disorder screening and treatment (supplement to the 2019 Annual Survey of Jails) measures service delivery (yes/no) using 12 items across 6 domains. An overall score is calculated by summing these responses, with higher scores relative to baseline indicating greater improvements in opioid treatment service delivery.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

JCOIN ECHO Coordinator

CONTACT

[email protected]

508-856-3515

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Massachusetts, Worcester

Other

Collaborators

  • National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Registry information

Acronym: J-ECHO OPS

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2030
Study completion
2030
First posted
Jun 10, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 10, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Related clinical trials

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.