Increasing Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for Unhoused Montanans
Official title: Counteracting Structural Barriers to Increase Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Among Unhoused Montanans
Funded at Open Aid Alliance · NIH-11578581 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Open Aid Alliance NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Missoula, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2023 |
| Project end | September 21, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $499,806 |
| NIH project number | 3OT2OD035589-01S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11578581 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Unhoused adults with opioid use disorder who access one of the five syringe service programs in Montana.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals who do not use or wish to avoid MOUD, or those not connected to SSPs, may not benefit from these interventions.
What this research studies
People experiencing homelessness in Montana face major barriers to MOUD, including stigma, Medicaid issues, and instability that makes treatment hard to maintain. The project will place MOUD services within five syringe service programs across urban and rural areas, including sites near American Indian reservations. It will use three proven approaches—a syringe-service-based MOUD program, a nurse-led MOUD model, and peer navigators—to help clients start and stay on treatment, tracking engagement and treatment duration along the OUD care cascade. Results will indicate how well these integrated services improve MOUD initiation and duration among SSP clients. The work aligns with real-world needs and aims to expand access to life-saving treatment for a high-need, underserved population.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could substantially increase MOUD initiation and duration for unhoused individuals, reducing overdose risk and improving health and stability.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work has shown that syringe-service-based MOUD, nurse-led models, and peer navigation can improve engagement in care for underserved populations, though setting-specific results are still evolving.
Where this research is happening
-
Open Aid Alliance
Missoula, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ramos, Rebecca — Open Aid Alliance
- Study coordinator: Ramos, Rebecca
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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.