Recovery Initiation and Management After Overdose (RIMO) Experiment

Research staff will work with the Chicago Fire Department's Emergency Medical Services division and the Chicago Police Department to identify people who have just had an opioid overdose reversed with naloxone, recruit them into the trial, randomize them to a passive referral (via a brochure) vs. the RIMO experimental group. Using the study recruitment and RIMO procedures refined in Phase 1, a total of 350 individuals will be recruited and randomly assigned to the "referral to MAT" control or to "RIMO". All participants will receive standardized assessments at baseline and 3, 6, and 9 months post-randomization. The study's aims and their associated hypotheses are: Aim 1: Evaluate RIMO's direct effect on linkage to MAT, length of time on MAT, dropout, and total days of MAT. H1: Relative to the control group, RIMO will have a direct effect on: a) initiating MAT sooner, b) staying on medication longer, c) reducing dropout, and d) receiving more total days of MAT. Aim 2: Evaluate RIMO's direct and indirect (via MAT) effects on time to relapse, opioid use, and opioid-related overdose. H2: RIMO will have direct and indirect (via days of MAT treatment) effects on: a) time to relapse, b) days of opioid use, and c) number of overdoses. Aim 3: RIMO's direct and indirect (via MAT and opioid use) effects on opioid-related fatalities, opioid use disorder (OUD) symptoms, physical health, mental health and the cost of health care utilization. H3: RIMO will have direct and indirect (via days of MAT treatment and days of opioid use) effects on: a) opioid-related fatalities, b) opioid use disorders symptoms, c) physical health, d) mental health, and e) cost of health care utilization.