Mobile rewards program to support recovery from opioid and alcohol use
Cultivating Recovery: A Pilot Study of Digital Contingency Management for Co-occurring Opioid and Alcohol Use Disorder
This project offers a phone-based rewards program to help people on buprenorphine or methadone who also drink alcohol stay in treatment and cut down on drinking.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Michigan at Ann Arbor NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Ann Arbor, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195709 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be invited if you are a Medicaid beneficiary receiving buprenorphine or methadone and also have problems with alcohol. The team will analyze Medicaid claims to find the best places and ways to reach people like you and will convene an advisory board to plan real-world delivery. In a small randomized pilot, participants will use a mobile contingency management app that gives rewards for staying in opioid treatment and for alcohol abstinence or be placed in a wellness control condition, with researchers tracking treatment retention and drinking over time. Exit interviews with participants and clinic staff will collect feedback on acceptability and feasibility.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Medicaid beneficiaries who are currently receiving buprenorphine or methadone for opioid use disorder and also meet criteria for alcohol use disorder.
Not a fit: People not on opioid agonist therapy, those without problematic alcohol use, or individuals without access to a smartphone are unlikely to benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help people on opioid agonist treatment stay engaged in care and reduce harmful drinking using an easy-to-use mobile rewards program.
How similar studies have performed: Contingency management has shown success for promoting treatment retention and reducing substance use, and digital versions have shown promise, though combining digital CM specifically for people on opioid agonists with co-occurring alcohol use is still being piloted.
Where this research is happening
Ann Arbor, United States
- University of Michigan at Ann Arbor — Ann Arbor, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Fernandez, Anne Christie — University of Michigan at Ann Arbor
- Study coordinator: Fernandez, Anne Christie
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 below.