Onsite PTSD Treatment to Improve MOUD Outcomes for people who inject drugs
Official title: Onsite PTSD Treatment to Improve MOUD Outcomes (OPTIMO): a hybrid Type 1 effectiveness-implementation trial of PTSD care in community-based settings that serve people who use drugs
Funded at City College of New York · NIH-11538491 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-based program will adapt a PTSD therapy and deliver it alongside opioid-use treatments to help people who inject drugs stay engaged in care and improve outcomes.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | City College of New York NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,162,298 |
| NIH project number | 4R33DA059032-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11538491 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
PWID with co-occurring PTSD who are receiving or starting MOUD at community-based organizations and have access to telehealth services.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without PTSD or those not enrolled in MOUD may not experience direct benefits.
What this research studies
This project brings PTSD care directly to community organizations that serve people who use opioids. It adapts Cognitive Processing Therapy for PWID with PTSD and delivers it through telehealth, with local staff providing in-person support to help patients stay on methadone or buprenorphine. By reducing PTSD symptoms, the program aims to improve emotional regulation and increase retention in life-saving MOUD care. The work is conducted in collaboration with three community-based sites to reach individuals who might not access traditional healthcare settings. If successful, this model could be scaled to similar community settings to support long-term recovery and reduce overdose risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience better PTSD management and higher retention in MOUD, leading to fewer overdoses and better overall health.
How similar studies have gone: Previous adaptations of CPT have shown promise in PTSD treatment, but applying it onsite with MOUD in low-resource, community settings is a novel approach with early feasibility evidenced in prior work.
Where this research is happening
-
City College of New York
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lopez-Castro, Teresa — City College of New York
- Study coordinator: Lopez-Castro, Teresa
Related research
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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.