STAMPS: South Carolina Buprenorphine Treatment Initiation, Adherence, and Retention Utilizing Mobile Health Units and Peer Support Specialists

The study is a 1-arm prospective interventional cohort quasi-experimental with retrospective control group. Enrolled participants will be compared to previously established mobile health patients, who did not work with a peer recovery coach, for buprenorphine treatment and adherence outcomes. 90 patients will be recruited from the mobile health units in rural counties in Upstate South Carolina. Visits consist of a baseline and 3 month follow up. The study will focus to develop, deliver, and evaluate an innovative 1) Peer Support Specialist (PSS) intervention to increase Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) initiation and retention rates in rural populations and underserved communities, and 2) dynamic modeling framework to prioritize at-risk communities for delivery of Mobile Health Clinics. the interventions will be developed in the R61 phase and implemented in a pilot study to determine the effectiveness on initiation and retention. With opioid overdose deaths continuing to rise in South Carolina (SC) and nationally, our sustainable framework has potential to prevent hundreds to thousands of opioid overdoses in SC and can be scaled up in other regions to save many more lives.

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18+ * Have diagnosis of OUD * New patient of the mobile clinic Exclusion Criteria: * Currently prescribed MOUD * Currently working with a PSS * Current suicidal ideation, as verified through the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) * Having a severe medical or psychiatric disability that would hinder participation in the study, as determined by nurse practitioner * Unable to read/speak English * Unable to read and comprehend the consent materials and other study materials