A Novel Care Navigation Intervention for Patients with Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Patients with methamphetamine use disorder (MaUD) face social, financial, and systemic barriers to accessing evidence-based addiction treatment. We designed a care navigation intervention to better engage patients with MaUD in treatment after an acute care encounter. This intervention was modeled after linkage-to-care strategies for infectious diseases and emphasized rapport building, trauma-informed care, and practical assistance in overcoming barriers to treatment. We also added elements of contingency management given its treatment efficacy with MaUD. We describe the development of the care navigation model, characteristics and care needs of subjects receiving the intervention, and intervention engagement outcomes. Among 94 patients who received this intervention as part of a randomized controlled trial, 64% were considered engaged with at least 2 or more visits with the care navigator Patients had substantial barriers to care-85% of patients were not stably housed, 83% were unemployed, and 46% lacked access to a phone-and the most common domains of need were accessing addiction treatment, housing resources, or communication needs such as a phone or interpreter services. This intervention poses a model for connecting patients with MaUD to treatment after acute care encounters.