An interventional study of Treatment As Usual Vocational Rehabilitation (TAU-VR) and Individual Placement and Support (IPS) in Veterans With Opioid Use Disorder, sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development. Active, not recruiting at 2 sites in United States. Open to participants aged 19 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-19.
Sponsored by VA Office of Research and Development · Not applicable, Interventional, and Supportive care
The purpose of this study is to help Veterans who have opioid use problems with gaining and maintaining meaningful employment. The investigators also want to know employment helps with other aspects of the Veteran's life including starting and staying on necessary medications, mental health needs, and feeling a part of society.
The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the employment outcomes of Individual Placement and Support (IPS) compared to Treatment-as-Usual Vocational Rehabilitation (TAU-VR) in 120 Veterans who are recovering from opioid use disorder (OUD) over 15 months. Specifically, the investigators will see which treatment yields more weeks worked in a competitive job with the hypothesis that IPS will result in better outcomes than TAU-VR. The investigators will interview Veterans in both IPS and TAU-VR groups to investigate the contextual barriers and facilitators of implementing vocational services among Veterans with OUD with the aim to provide solutions and leverage facilitators of success as the VHA expands supported employment services to a new priority population. Investigators will evaluate the impact of vocational services on adherence to prescribed treatment and OUD relapse rates. This study is especially timely given the societal impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on employment and occupational functioning.
1,411 studies on the registry are indexed under Opioid-Related Disorders; 290 are open to participants now.
This study's enrollment of 123 is above the median of 63 across 1,123 interventional studies indexed under Opioid-Related Disorders.
Browse Opioid-Related Disorders studies →VA Office of Research and Development is the lead sponsor of 1,733 studies on the registry; 396 are open to participants now.
Of its 206 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 180 (87%) have results posted.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Exclusion Criteria:
unlikely that participant can complete the study
The IPS model involves the following important domains: competitive employment, eligibility based on client choice of employment, integration of IPS and treatment team personalized counseling, rapid job search, systematic job development, and time-unlimited and individualized support.
Other: Individual Placement and Support (IPS)
TAU-VR Services may include 1) Compensated Work Therapy-Transitional Work (CWT-TW) assignment in a set-aside, minimum-wage, short-term job, typically in the VA setting (approximately 50% of the Veterans randomized to TW in past studies conducted by the investigators actually engaged in TW assignment) or 2) CWT-Community-Based Employment Services (CWT-CBES) which involves a community job search, placement in a competitive job, with limited follow-along support that typically ends after the Veteran is working in his/her first job
Other: Treatment As Usual Vocational Rehabilitation (TAU-VR)
TAU-VR Services may include 1) Compensated Work Therapy-Transitional Work (CWT-TW) assignment in a set-aside, minimum-wage, short-term job, typically in the VA setting (approximately 50% of the Veterans randomized to TW in past studies conducted by the investigators actually engaged in TW assignment) or 2) CWT-Community-Based Employment Services (CWT-CBES) which involves a community job search, placement in a competitive job, with limited follow-along support that typically ends after the Veteran is working in his/her first job
The IPS model involves the following important domains: competitive employment, eligibility based on client choice of employment, integration of IPS and treatment team personalized counseling, rapid job search, systematic job development, and time-unlimited and individualized support.
number of weeks worked
A "week worked" is defined as working either part time or full time in a competitive job during a Sunday to Saturday 7-day window. Competitive employment is defined as a job that pays at least minimum wage or is based on salary or commission, is based in a setting alongside others without disabilities, and is not reserved for people with disabilities
Time frame: 15 months
Quality of Life
Veteran quality of life will be measures by a 16-item self-report quality of life scale by Burckhardt and Anderson. Scores range from 16 to 112. Higher numbers mean better quality of life. According to the authors, the average score of a healthy adult is 90. Therefore anything above 90 should be considered good.
Time frame: 15 months
social support
the Veterans perceived social support will be measured by the 37-item self-report community assessment inventory by Salari et al. There are four domains: household, (six items), family (10 items), friends 8 items), and community (13 items). scores can be calculated for each domain or on a total scale. for the total scale scores range from. Higher numbers mean higher perceived social support. No specific guidance on what is considered good or poor social support.
Time frame: 15 months
Depression
the Veterans depressive symptoms will be measured by the 9-item self-report Patient Health Questionnaire-9 by Pfitzer. Scores range from 1-27. Higher numbers mean more depressive symptoms. 1-4 is considered minimal depression; 5-9 is considered mild depression; 10-14 is considered moderate depression; 15-19 is considered moderately severe depression; and 20-27 is considered severe depression.
Time frame: 15 months
Anxiety
the Veterans anxiety will be measured by the 7-item self-report Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 questionnaire by Spitzer et al. Scores range from zero to 21. Higher numbers mean more anxiety. zero to 4 is considered minimal anxiety; 5-9 is considered mild anxiety; 10-14 is considered moderate anxiety, and 15-21 is considered severe anxiety.
Time frame: 15 months
Resilience
the Veterans resilience will be measured by the 6-item self-report Brief Resilience Scale questionnaire by Smith et al. scores range from zero to 30 and then averaged by the number of questions answered. Therefore final scores averages range rom zero to 5. Higher mean scores reflect more resilience. The authors of the questionnaire do not provide any guidance on what is considered high, medium, or low resilience.
Time frame: 15 months
suicide risk
the Veterans suicide risk will be measured by the self-report Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS). The C-SSRS has three subscales' suicidal ideation, intensity of ideation, and suicidal behavior. Suicidal ideation subscale has 5 questions (yes/no). Intensity is rated 1-5 with most severe at 5; frequency is rated zero to 4 (0=not applicable; 1=only one time; 2=a few time; 3=a lot; 4=all the time). Suicidal behavior subscale is divided into actual attempt, interrupted attempt, aborted attempt or self-interrupted attempt, preparatory acts or behavior, and suicide. This is not a scored measure. This is a safety measure.
Time frame: 15-months
Plan to share: No
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This study is active, not recruiting, as verified in Mar 2026. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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