INDIVIDUAL PLACEMENT AND SUPPORT FOR VETERANS WITH OPIOID USE DISORDER: A MIXED METHODS STUDY

Background: Living with an opioid use disorder (OUD) can make finding and sustaining employment a significant challenge and is only getting worse in the COVID-19 environment. With states reporting unemployment rates as high as 15-20%, the negative effects of unemployment on OUD treatment outcomes are

expected to deteriorate. The COVID-19 pandemic has further resulted in treatment disruptions that are exacerbating poor outcomes, because of unemployment, social isolation, interrupted access to medication for OUD treatment (MOUD), and interference of daily routines that provide the necessary structure for many people

with OUD. Our group has conducted research that shows Individual Placement and Support (IPS) is efficacious in yielding more weeks worked and higher steady employment rates for Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder and Veterans diagnosed with a broad range of mental conditions (including substance use) being

treated in a primary care setting; however, little is known about its efficacy in Veterans with OUD. Only one small study in civilians (n=45) with OUD has been conducted, in which 50% of the participants assigned to IPS gained employment compared to 5% of waitlist control at 6 months follow-up (p