Data-driven opioid use disorder care in rural areas using mobile clinics and peer support
Official title: Data-Driven Approaches for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment, Recovery, and Overdose Prevention in Rural Communities via Mobile Health Clinics and Peer Support Services
Funded at Clemson University · NIH-11394635 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A rural-focused program will test how data-driven tools, mobile clinics, and peer support can help people start and stay on opioid use disorder treatment and prevent overdoses.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Clemson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Clemson, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,148,625 |
| NIH project number | 5R33DA059892-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11394635 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with opioid use disorder in rural or resource-limited communities who may benefit from MOUD and peer support.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without opioid use disorder or those not engaged in rural settings may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project aims to bring MOUD to rural communities by using mobile health clinics and trained peers with lived experience. It will collect and analyze data to tailor interventions and identify the best ways to engage individuals who are not currently in treatment. The approach combines on-site MOUD access, peer support services, and data-driven decision making to improve initiation and retention in care and prevent overdoses. The study focuses on real-world implementation in resource-limited settings to maximize reach and impact for people with opioid use disorder.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients in rural areas could access timely treatment and support, reducing overdoses and improving long-term recovery.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests peer support can aid MOUD initiation, but evidence for retention and overdose prevention in rural, data-driven approaches is still emerging.
Where this research is happening
-
Clemson University
Clemson, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rennert, Lior — Clemson University
- Study coordinator: Rennert, Lior
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Systems analysis to improve opioid use disorder care after jail release (SAIA-MOUD)
A program to help people with opioid use disorder get better, faster, and safer care after they leave jail.
-
Precise epigenetic drugs for opioid addiction
A tiny, targeted drug approach is being developed to help people with opioid use disorder by rewriting the epigenetic signals in the brain to reduce cravings and relapse risk.
-
Increasing Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for Unhoused Montanans
This project helps unhoused people in Montana get life-saving medicines for opioid use disorder through clinics connected to syringe service programs, a nurse-led MOUD model, and peer support.
-
Optimizing long-acting PrEP and opioid treatment for people in jails and prisons
This project tests a real-world approach to using long-acting PrEP and buprenorphine for HIV prevention and opioid treatment among incarcerated individuals and after release.
-
Scaling up medications for opioid use disorder in residential treatment programs
This grant studies how to help residential treatment programs provide medications for opioid use disorder to reduce overdoses after discharge, focusing on real-world settings and policies.
-
Increasing Capacity at a Native Community Clinic to Improve Opioid Care for urban AI/AN
This grant helps a Native American health clinic build its research capacity to better serve urban American Indian and Alaska Native people dealing with opioid use disorder and related health issues.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.