Employment support for veterans with opioid use disorder
Official title: INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR VETERANS WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER: A MIXED METHODS STUDY
Funded at Birmingham VA Medical Center · NIH-11305984 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a personalized job‑support program called Individual Placement and Support to help veterans with opioid use disorder find and keep work while they receive treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Birmingham VA Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Birmingham, United States) |
| Project start | October 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| NIH project number | 5I01RX003656-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11305984 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are veterans with a diagnosed opioid use disorder who are receiving VA care and are interested in finding or keeping employment.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not seeking work, are not enrolled in VA care, or have unstable medical or psychiatric conditions that prevent participation may not benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you join, you would be offered Individual Placement and Support (IPS), a hands‑on employment program that helps you search for jobs, connect with employers, and keep work while receiving care for opioid use disorder. The team will compare employment outcomes (like weeks worked and steady employment rates) between veterans who receive IPS and those who receive usual services, and will also conduct interviews and surveys to learn what helps or gets in the way. The work includes follow-up over months to see whether IPS supports sustained employment and recovery during the COVID‑19 era. Participation may involve regular meetings with an employment specialist, sharing employment and treatment information, and taking part in brief interviews or questionnaires.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more veterans with OUD gain and maintain steady jobs, which may support recovery and improve quality of life.
How similar studies have gone: IPS has proven helpful for veterans with PTSD and other serious mental illnesses and one small civilian study in OUD showed much higher employment with IPS, but evidence specifically in OUD is limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Birmingham VA Medical Center
Birmingham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Davis, Lori L. — Birmingham VA Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Davis, Lori L.
Related research
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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.