Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois (ROMI) (040)

Study Information

More than 2,700 Illinois residents died of opioid overdose in 2017—a number that surpassed the state’s combined fatalities from road accidents and gun homicide.

The University of Chicago JCOIN Research Center is conducting a multi-site trial called ROMI (Reducing Opioid Mortality in Illinois) to study the effectiveness of case management approaches to link individuals with community-based treatment services upon release from jail. The ROMI intervention includes peer recovery coaches to improve linkages to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), supportive services, naloxone distribution, and harm reduction services for justice-involved individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD).

The study will utilize a hub-and-spoke model anchored at the University of Illinois at Chicago to help unify the delivery of OUD treatment and harm reduction services across four jails and two prisons throughout Illinois. The goal of the study is to examine the effectiveness of these case management approaches combined with peer recovery coaches to improve MOUD retention and outcomes.


Study Settings: Jails/Prisons, Treatment/Healthcare Settings

Study Location: Illinois


Grant number:  UG1DA050066

Link to NIH Reporter record:  https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9882847

Study Team

PI: Harold Pollack, PhD, John Schneider, Mai Pho

Logo of The University of Chicago

Study Aims

• Facilitate linkages to OUD services for justice-involved individuals upon return to the community

• Engage participants in OUD treatment and harm reduction strategies

• Examine the efficacy of case management and peer recovery coach interventions for individuals eligible for OUD treatment

• Identify implementation barriers and best practices

Research Type

Clinical Trial, Linkage Strategies