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Beginning Early and Assertive Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Beginning Early and Assertive Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (BEATMeth): A Comprehensive Systems-level Secondary Prevention Strategy to Prevent Stimulant Related Overdoses

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT06033365
Acronym
BEATMeth
Enrollment
192
Registered
2023-09-13
Start date
2023-04-11
Completion date
2025-09-29
Last updated
2025-11-13

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Methamphetamine Use Disorder

Brief summary

The overall goal of the study is to evaluate the effectiveness of a secondary prevention strategy implemented at a systems-level to prevent stimulant related overdoses.

Detailed description

To date, a public health systems approach to enhance linkage and engagement in care for stimulant use disorders is lacking. This shortcoming arises in part from the lack of effective treatments for stimulant use disorders (StUD), the specific pathology of methamphetamine use, and gaps in epidemiologic knowledge related to methamphetamine use disorder. Unlike opioid use disorders, for which medications relieve dysphoric symptoms of acute withdrawal and prevent relapse, patients with StUD present to care with methamphetamine-induced psychosis and may be combative, agitated, and poorly insightful to their need for treatment. In response to community demands, our team at Denver Health recently established a pilot program, Beginning Early and Assertive Treatment for Methamphetamine Use Disorder (BEAT Meth), to protocolize the assessment and treatment of patients with methamphetamine-induced psychosis.The current research project aims to develop and conduct process and outcomes evaluations of a linkage intervention aimed at increasing continuation and engagement in treatment for stimulant use disorder.

Interventions

BEHAVIORALcare navigation

Dedicated care navigation throughout study enrollment and follow-up period. Care navigation consists of addressing social support needs (e.g. transportation, communication, housing).

Sponsors

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
CollaboratorFED
Denver Health and Hospital Authority
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* 18 years of age and older * identified in the Denver Health healthcare system who have had a methamphetamine-related encounter at Denver Health

Exclusion criteria

* unable to complete the interview in English * intoxicated or impaired and unable to consent to participate in the project and/or respond to the interview * currently under residential involuntary psychiatric or substance treatment order (i.e., mental health hold, emergency commitment, or short-term certification) * received any type of substance use treatment at DHHA in the last 90 days * planning to enter substance treatment * unable to complete the research visits in the next 90 days

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of participants who entered treatment for methamphetamine use disorderwithin 30 of study enrollmentTreatment entry as defined as attendance at an outpatient addiction treatment appointment within 30 days of BEAT Meth discharge

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of participants retained in treatment at 30 days30 daysRetention in treatment at 30 days
Number of participants who overdosedthrough study completion, an average of 1 yearnon-fatal overdose as self-reported and fatal overdose from medical examiner
Number of participants retained in treatment at 90 days90 daysRetention in treatment at 90 days

Countries

United States

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Sep 4, 2026