Substance use in pregnancy: boosting retention in treatment with incentives
Official title: Substance Use in Pregnancy- Optimizing Retention in Treatment by Maximizing Opportunities for Management (SUPPORT-MOM)
Funded at Washington University · NIH-11454653 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A research project tests whether giving incentives helps pregnant people stay in substance-use treatment and reduce overdose risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $645,479 |
| NIH project number | 4R33DA062321-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11454653 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals with substance use disorders receiving treatment at participating clinics in Saint Louis.
✕Less likely to help
Populations without substance use disorders or those not engaged in treatment may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests a contingency management approach, giving incentives to pregnant patients in substance-use treatment to help them stay engaged through postpartum. It will be done as a hybrid efficacy-implementation randomized trial in two clinics, measuring retention, health outcomes, and how social needs affect results. The study is rooted in real-world clinic settings to understand how performance-based incentives could work in routine care for pregnant people with substance use disorders.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could help pregnant patients stay in treatment longer and reduce overdose risk and related health problems.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work shows contingency management helps with treatment adherence in non-pregnant groups and some maternal SUD trials, with mixed results in others.
Where this research is happening
-
Washington University
Saint Louis, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Kelly, Jeannie Chen — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Kelly, Jeannie Chen
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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.