How addiction treatment programs changed after 2020 policy shifts

Addictions treatment organizational response to 2020 public health policy changes: impact on quality of care

['FUNDING_R01'] · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · NIH-11380597

Looks at how 2020 public health policies reshaped outpatient addiction care and what that means for people getting treatment.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorNEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11380597 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

You would be part of research that compares how outpatient addiction clinics worked before and after the 2020 policy changes, focusing on things like telehealth visits, home dosing of medications, and drug-screening practices. The team will examine clinic records and program-level data and gather reports from staff and patients to see how these changes affected treatment use and retention. They will look across different types of clinics and community contexts to understand which changes were temporary and which stuck around. The goal is to link specific organizational responses to patient access and quality outcomes over time.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are people receiving outpatient addiction treatment (including those using clinic-based or telehealth services and those prescribed medications for substance use disorders).

Not a fit: People not engaged in outpatient care (for example, those only in inpatient or justice-system settings, children, or those not using formal treatment services) are less likely to be affected by this project's findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify which pandemic-era changes helped people stay in treatment and get lifesaving medications, guiding better care models going forward.

How similar studies have performed: Previous work shows telehealth and relaxed medication rules increased access in the short term, but long-term effects on retention and outcomes remain uncertain.

Where this research is happening

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.