Recovery Housing and Drug Abuse Treatment Outcome

Reinforcement-Based Therapy (RBT) is an intensive outpatient substance abuse treatment that includes relapse prevention skills training, goal setting, help with finding employment and abstinence-contingent rent payment for recovery housing in the community. It is meant to provide motivation for continued abstinence while enhancing social stability. In this study, treatment was offered to inner city opiate and cocaine users immediately following a brief medically-supported residential detoxification. Previous research had shown that RBT produces 3- month outcomes superior to those for patients who are referred to outpatient treatment in the community. The present study compared outcomes for patients (N = 243) randomly assigned to receive abstinence-contingent recovery housing with (full RBT) or without additional intensive counseling or to receive usual care referral to outpatient treatment following detoxification. Outcomes were similar at 3- and 6-month follow-ups for those who received recovery housing with (full RBT) and without additional counseling and both these treatments were superior to usual care referral. Study findings support the efficacy of post-detoxification recovery housing with or without counseling for opiate and cocaine users.

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Key information

Conditions

Mental and Behavioral Disorders Due to Use of Cocaine: Harmful Use Behavior Behavior, Addictive Chemically-Induced Disorders Compulsive Behavior Impulsive Behavior Mental Disorders Narcotic-Related Disorders Opiate Addiction Opioid-Related Disorders Substance-Related Disorders

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Behavioral Pharmacology Research Unit

Baltimore, Maryland, 21224, United States

About this study

Aims To conduct a randomized, controlled trial of abstinence-contingent recovery housing delivered with or without intensive day treatment among individuals exiting residential opioid detoxification.

Design Random assignment to one of three conditions: recovery housing alone (RH), abstinence-contingent recovery housing with reinforcement-based treatment RBT (RH + RBT) or usual care (UC). RH and RH + RBT participants received 12 weeks of paid recovery housing contingent upon drug abstinence. RH + RBT participants also received 26 weeks of RBT, initiated concurrently with recovery housing. Assessments were conducted at 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment enrollment.

Setting Out-patient drug-free substance abuse treatment program in Baltimore, Maryland.

Participants Patients (n = 243) who completed medication-assisted opioid detoxification.

Measurements Primary outcome was drug abstinence (opioid- and cocaine-negative urine and no self-reported opioid or cocaine use in the previous 30 days). Secondary outcomes included abstinence at all time-points (1, 3 and 6 months), days in recovery housing and employment.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

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

Inclusion criteria

completes residential detoxification for use of opiates and/or cocaine
willing to go to outpatient aftercare
agrees to random assignment; signs informed consent

Exclusion criteria

moving out of town
primary substance use does not include opiates or cocaine

Treatment and study plan

Recovery Housing plus Counseling

Behavioral

Participants receive 3 months of abstinence-contingent program-supported rent payment in community recovery housing. They also receive intensive outpatient counseling (both individual and group) focused on relapse prevention skills training, goal setting, employment seeking and recreational activities.

Usual Care Referral

Behavioral

Participants are referred to an outpatient program of their choosing with an appointment made for them.

Recovery Housing Only

Behavioral

Participant may receive up to 3 months of abstinence-contingent rent payment in community recovery housing but is not invited to participate in intensive counseling.

Primary outcomes

abstinence from opiates and cocaine

Time frame: 6 months post randomization

Free in the community plus self report of no drug use in past 30 days verified with negative urine screen.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Johns Hopkins University

Other

Registry information

Important dates

Study start: 2001
Primary completion: 2008
Study completion: 2008
First posted: Sep 11, 2017
Registry last updated: Sep 11, 2017

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.

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

Completed