How social safety net programs affect opioid harms for parenting women

Social safety net programs as interventions to reduce opioid-related harms in reproductive-age women

['FUNDING_R01'] · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · NIH-11141187

This project looks at whether programs like SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, Unemployment Insurance, and the Earned Income Tax Credit reduce opioid-related harms for parenting women with low incomes.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorCOLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES (nih funded)
Locations1 site (NEW YORK, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11141187 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If you're a parenting woman with low income, this work will combine national data about who uses safety net programs and medical records with interviews of women to see how programs like SNAP, TANF, UI, EITC, and Medicaid relate to opioid use and access to treatment. The researchers will examine each program separately and in combination, and will study pathways and mediators while accounting for differences in state eligibility rules. They will speak directly with parenting women—especially Black and Indigenous caregivers—to learn about real-life barriers to seeking and staying in treatment. The aim is to connect policy-level program access to everyday experiences so programs can better support women facing opioid-related harms.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are parenting women of reproductive age who are low-income and have opioid use disorder or are at elevated risk, especially Black and Indigenous caregivers and those enrolled in or eligible for SNAP, TANF, Medicaid, UI, or the EITC.

Not a fit: People who are not parenting, not low-income, not affected by opioid-related harms, or living outside the United States may not directly benefit from this study's findings.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this work could identify which programs or combinations of programs help lower opioid harms and improve access to treatment for parenting women.

How similar studies have performed: Some prior studies have linked safety net programs to better alcohol and other behavioral health outcomes, but clear evidence on opioid-related harms is limited, so this approach is relatively novel for opioids.

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.