How Medicaid expansion could help recently released people get medications for opioid use disorder and mental health care
Official title: CE25-149 - The effect of Medicaid expansion on medications for opioid use disorder, mental health care, and overdose mortality among formerly incarcerated people
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11422049 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant studies how extending Medicaid after release from jail or prison could help people with opioid use disorder and mental health needs stay on treatment and avoid overdose.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2025 |
| Project end | September 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $349,841 |
| NIH project number | 5U01CE003821-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11422049 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Formerly incarcerated adults who are navigating Medicaid enrollment and access to MOUD and mental health services after release.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not facing incarceration-related healthcare transitions or lacking Medicaid-related barriers may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
People leaving jail or prison often face barriers to care, which can lead to overdoses. This project uses large, individual-level data to understand how Medicaid expansion helps with linking to medications for OUD and mental health services after release. The goal is to uncover the mechanisms behind any benefits and why racial disparities may exist, with a focus on real-world pathways from enrollment to care. The study builds on prior findings showing improved MOUD access after pre-release enrollment, aiming to inform policy and program decisions that support sustained treatment after release. Work is conducted at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under the NIH U01 mechanism.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could guide policy changes to expand insurance-driven access to medications for OUD and mental health care for individuals transitioning from incarceration, potentially reducing overdose deaths.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies suggest pre-release Medicaid enrollment improves MOUD access and reduces overdoses, but this project seeks to clarify mechanisms and equity gaps.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ranapurwala, Shabbar I — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Ranapurwala, Shabbar I
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Using mobile health tools to improve recovery for Black individuals with opioid use disorder and mental health issues
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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.
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Precise epigenetic drugs for opioid addiction
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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.
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.