Long-term treatment for opioid addiction through employment
Official title: Long-Term Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder
Run by Northern Michigan University · NCT05534815 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study tests whether giving jobs to unemployed adults with opioid addiction can help them stay drug-free and improve their work situation.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 225 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Northern Michigan University Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Marquette, Michigan) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | March 1, 2023 |
| Main results expected | February 28, 2027 |
| Study ends | February 29, 2028 |
| Registry record updated | May 2, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT05534815 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates for this study are adults aged 18 and older who are unemployed and enrolled in buprenorphine or methadone maintenance treatment.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients who are currently incarcerated or experiencing recent hallucinations may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This study aims to address the interrelated issues of opioid addiction and unemployment by implementing a Therapeutic Workplace model. Participants will be employed and paid to work, with the requirement to provide drug-free urine samples to maintain their wages, thereby promoting drug abstinence. The study seeks to evaluate the real-world impacts of this approach, which has shown promise in previous studies for maintaining drug abstinence and improving employment outcomes. The intervention focuses on adults with opioid use disorder who are currently unemployed and receiving maintenance treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could significantly improve employment rates and reduce opioid use among participants, leading to better overall health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies have shown success with employment-based abstinence reinforcement, making this approach promising but still requiring real-world validation.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * ≥18 years old * are enrolled at REACH for buprenorphine or methadone maintenance treatment * unemployed Exclusion Criteria: * Applicants will be excluded if they report recent hallucinations and if they are currently a prisoner.
Where it's running
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Northern Center for Learning and Health, Northern Michigan University, 1401 Presque Isle Ave.
Marquette, Michigan, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Forrest Toegel, PhD — Northern Michigan University
- Study coordinator: Forrest Toegel, PhD
- Email: ftoegel@nmu.edu
- Phone: 906-227-2919
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.