Adaption of the STAIR-NT Trauma Intervention for Polysubstance Populations

Adaption of the STAIR-NT Trauma Intervention for Polysubstance Populations

During this 36-month R34 trial, eight study phases are proposed to adapt an evidence-based post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) intervention (STAIR-NT) and layer it into a methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) program (START Treatment and Recovery centers) in New York City for use among individuals engaged in stimulant-opioid polysubstance use. The study aims to adapt STAIR-NT to a massed treatment schedule. Once an adapted protocol is complete, it will be tested for feasibility, acceptability, and short-term polysubstance and PTSD symptomology outcomes in a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) of 80 participants. Participants who screen eligible and consent will be randomized 1:1 to the adapted STAIR-NT intervention or treatment as usual (TAU) using randomization blocks of two and two and four via a computer-generated randomization sequence. Participants assigned to the intervention will receive the adapted massed delivery of STAIR-NT by trained counselors.

Inclusion Criteria:

• must be 18 years or older,
• be a patient at the START clinic receiving methadone for treatment of opioid use disorder,
• self-report 10+ days of co-use of cocaine and illicit opioids in the past 30-days,
• meet the criteria for stimulant use disorder (cocaine type; mild, moderate or severe) and a score of 3≥ on the PC-PTSD-5.

Exclusion Criteria:

• cognitive impairment that would interfere with their ability to understand study participation as assessed by the researcher,
• does not speak/understand English at a conversational level,
• plans to leave the START clinic in the next 60 days,
• patients who missed methadone doses (inactive) for 30 days or more, or
• having received clinical care from the interventionist(s) in the past 30 days