Reducing overdose and suicide risk for adults with opioid use disorder and mental health conditions
Official title: Reducing Overdose and Suicide Risk in Individuals with OUD and Co-occurring Disorders
Funded at Rand Corporation · NIH-11307133 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Trying new ways to help adults with opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health problems start and stay on lifesaving medications and reduce overdose and suicide risk after emergency department visits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rand Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Monica, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2023 |
| Project end | March 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $625,037 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA056588-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11307133 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with opioid use disorder and co-occurring mental health conditions who visit participating emergency departments—especially hospitals in the California Bridge Program—are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People under 21, those without opioid use disorder, or patients who do not visit participating EDs or cannot access outpatient MOUD services may not directly benefit from this project.
What this research studies
This project partners with emergency departments, primarily within the California Bridge Program, to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and strengthen follow-up care after ED visits. Researchers will use hospital and prescription-fill data and follow patients after discharge to see who fills MOUD prescriptions and who remains in treatment. The team will compare approaches to linkage and retention and pay special attention to people who have both OUD and mental health conditions. Outcomes tracked include treatment retention, overdose, and self-harm so the study can identify strategies EDs can use to better prevent deaths.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could help more people start and remain on life-saving OUD medications and reduce overdoses and suicide.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research shows that starting and staying on MOUD reduces deaths and programs like the California Bridge have improved ED access, but long-term retention and suicide prevention remain challenging, so this project builds on proven approaches while addressing gaps.
Where this research is happening
-
Rand Corporation
Santa Monica, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Watkins, Katherine E — Rand Corporation
- Study coordinator: Watkins, Katherine E
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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.