Opioid Use DisorderPEERSNCT06696066
PEERS Pilot: Peer Recovery Support Program to Support Engagement in Medication for Opioid Use Disorder
A study testing PRS Program in people with Opioid Use Disorder, run by Geisinger Clinic at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a peer recovery support program to support patient engagement in medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 89 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Opioid Use Disorder
- What is being tested?
- PRS Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 13 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 18 Feb 2025to 3 Jul 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 89 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Adult ≥ 18 years of age
- Initiated medication for opioid use disorder at a Geisinger outpatient addiction treatment clinic within the past 45 days
- Willing to participate in the Peer Recovery Support program
- Able and willing to provide consent
Who cannot join
- Received medication for opioid use disorder at a Geisinger outpatient addiction treatment clinic in the 90 days prior to the treatment initiation date
- Not proficient in English
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Pilot Evaluation of a Peer Recovery Support Program Adapted to Target Retention in Clinic-based Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a peer recovery support program to support patient engagement in medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The program, entitled "Promoting Enhanced Engagement through Recovery Support" (PEERS) was developed in collaboration with community and clinical partners for the MOUD outpatient setting. Information gathered during this pilot study will inform refinements to the program and study components for a future clinical trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of the peer recovery support program in increasing patient retention in MOUD.
The investigators will recruit 12 participants to the pilot study, all of whom will receive the PEERS program. The study will take place in Geisinger outpatient addiction treatment clinics in northeast Pennsylvania. Patients initiating MOUD treatment at one of the clinics will be eligible for participation, and will be recruited via email, patient portal messages, and phone. Each participant will receive the PEERS program, entailing regular sessions with a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) for 6 months. Participants will also be asked to complete assessments at baseline and 12 weeks and will be invited to provide qualitative feedback on their experience with the program through an interview conducted between 8-12 weeks. As the focus of the pilot pertains to the feasibility and acceptability of the program and the study components, study outcomes focus on participant engagement in and acceptance of the program, CRS fidelity to the program, barriers to implementation, and feasibility of data collection.
- Conditions
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Being tested
- PRS Program
- Keywords
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Medical subject headings
- Opioid-Related Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
PRS ProgramBehavioural
The Peer Recovery Support program will be delivered by a certified recovery specialist (CRS) over the course of 6-months. The CRS will provide supportive care to the participant during their initial 6-months of MOUD treatment to increase patient engagement in their treatment. The CRS may provide emotional support; help participants to identify their recovery assets, goals, and barriers; guide participants in creating a recovery plan; help participants to increase their coping skills; and assist participants in connecting to community and recovery resources.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Recovery Support Pilot Program Implementation and Assessment | Experimental | Participants will be offered services from a certified recovery specialist (CRS; i.e., the Peer Recovery Support program). This will entail a CRS meeting one-on-one with the patient at regular intervals (e.g., weekly) to provide support to the participant for a 6-month period. CRS services are patient-centered and driven by a patient's own recovery goals, thus the frequency, timing, duration, modality (in-person, phone), and location of meetings (in the clinic or in a community setting such as a coffeeshop) are flexible and determined collaboratively by the CRS and patient. Receives: Behavioral: PRS Program |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Feasibility - Participant Engagement in the Peer Recovery Support Program
Percent of participants who attended at least 2 sessions with the Certified Recovery Specialist
Measured: Baseline to 12 weeks
Acceptability - Participant Alliance With Certified Recovery Specialist
Participants' average scores for the Scales for Participant Alliance with Recovery Coach (SPARC-2); score can range from 1-5 and a high score indicates greater satisfaction with the CRS.
Measured: 12 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Feasibility - Feasibility of Assessment Completion
Percent of participants who completed the baseline assessment
Measured: Baseline
Feasibility - Feasibility of Assessment Completion
Percent of participants who completed the follow-up assessment
Measured: 12 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Nov 2024
- Study start18 Feb 2025
- Primary completion9 Jun 2025
- Study completion3 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Opioid Use DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Geisinger Clinic
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), UConn Health
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Melissa Poulsen, PhD, Principal investigator, Geisinger Clinic
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06696066
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2024-0862
- Other IDs
- 1R61DA059880
- Acronym
- PEERS
- Status last verified
- Feb 2026
- First submitted
- 18 Nov 2024
- Last updated
- 25 Feb 2026
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Feb 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Pilot Evaluation of a Peer Recovery Support Program Adapted to Target Retention in Clinic-based Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06696066
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PEERS / 2024-0862
- Conditions
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Keywords
- Opioid Use Disorder
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 13 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Geisinger ClinicUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), UConn Health
- Study start
- 18 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 9 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 3 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 25 Feb 2026
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a peer recovery support program to support patient engagement in medication treatment for opioid use disorder (MOUD). The program, entitled "Promoting Enhanced Engagement through Recovery Support" (PEERS) was developed in collaboration with community and clinical partners for the MOUD outpatient setting. Information gathered during this pilot study will inform refinements to the program and study components for a future clinical trial that will evaluate the effectiveness of the peer recovery support program in increasing patient retention in MOUD.
The investigators will recruit 12 participants to the pilot study, all of whom will receive the PEERS program. The study will take place in Geisinger outpatient addiction treatment clinics in northeast Pennsylvania. Patients initiating MOUD treatment at one of the clinics will be eligible for participation, and will be recruited via email, patient portal messages, and phone. Each participant will receive the PEERS program, entailing regular sessions with a Certified Recovery Specialist (CRS) for 6 months. Participants will also be asked to complete assessments at baseline and 12 weeks and will be invited to provide qualitative feedback on their experience with the program through an interview conducted between 8-12 weeks. As the focus of the pilot pertains to the feasibility and acceptability of the program and the study components, study outcomes focus on participant engagement in and acceptance of the program, CRS fidelity to the program, barriers to implementation, and feasibility of data collection.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Peer Recovery Support Pilot Program Implementation and Assessment | Experimental | Behavioral: PRS ProgramParticipants will be offered services from a certified recovery specialist (CRS; i.e., the Peer Recovery Support program). This will entail a CRS meeting one-on-one with the patient at regular intervals (e.g., weekly) to provide support to the participant for a 6-month period. CRS services are patient-centered and driven by a patient's own recovery goals, thus the frequency, timing, duration, modality (in-person, phone), and location of meetings (in the clinic or in a community setting such as a coffeeshop) are flexible and determined collaboratively by the CRS and patient. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Adult ≥ 18 years of age
- Initiated medication for opioid use disorder at a Geisinger outpatient addiction treatment clinic within the past 45 days
- Willing to participate in the Peer Recovery Support program
- Able and willing to provide consent
Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Received medication for opioid use disorder at a Geisinger outpatient addiction treatment clinic in the 90 days prior to the treatment initiation date
- Not proficient in English
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| PRS ProgramThe Peer Recovery Support program will be delivered by a certified recovery specialist (CRS) over the course of 6-months. The CRS will provide supportive care to the participant during their initial 6-months of MOUD treatment to increase patient engagement in their treatment. The CRS may provide emotional support; help participants to identify their recovery assets, goals, and barriers; guide participants in creating a recovery plan; help participants to increase their coping skills; and assist participants in connecting to community and recovery resources. | Behavioural | Peer Recovery Support Pilot Program Implementation and Assessment |
Primary outcome
Feasibility - Participant Engagement in the Peer Recovery Support Program
Time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks
Percent of participants who attended at least 2 sessions with the Certified Recovery Specialist
Acceptability - Participant Alliance With Certified Recovery Specialist
Time frame: 12 weeks
Participants' average scores for the Scales for Participant Alliance with Recovery Coach (SPARC-2); score can range from 1-5 and a high score indicates greater satisfaction with the CRS.
2 secondary outcomes
Feasibility - Feasibility of Assessment Completion
Time frame: Baseline
Feasibility - Feasibility of Assessment Completion
Time frame: 12 weeks
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 25 Feb 2026.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
Related trials for Opioid Use Disorder
Not yet recruiting
Remote Intervention to Prevent Overdose
Accidental Overdose of Opiate
Active, not recruiting
Healing Opioid Misuse and Pain Through Engagement (HOPE) Trial
Opioid Use Disorder, Chronic Pain
Enrolling by invitationObservational study
Development of an Interview-Informed Timeline Follow-Back (TLFB) for Opioid Use in the Era of Fentanyl
Substance Use Disorders (SUDs)
Not yet recruiting
Peer-led, Mobile App Supported Linkage to Opioid Use Disorder Treatment
Opioid Use Disorder
Active, not recruiting
Pain and Opioids: Integrated Treatment In Veterans
Chronic Pain, Opioid-use Disorder
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Melissa Poulsen, PhD principal investigator
Geisinger Clinic
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing PRS Program in people with Opioid Use Disorder, run by Geisinger Clinic at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 25 Feb 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 25 Feb 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Feasibility - Participant Engagement in the Peer Recovery Support Program (time frame: Baseline to 12 weeks). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 25 Feb 2026.