# Randomized Controlled Trial of Relay- NYC's Nonfatal Overdose Response Program

> **NIH ALLCDC R01** · NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE · 2020 · $767,448

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Individuals who experience a nonfatal opioid overdose (OD) are known to be at exceedingly high risk of dying
from a subsequent OD, but effective secondary OD prevention interventions are lacking. Most people who have
an OD are brought to an emergency department (ED). ED visits thus offer a unique opportunity to reach those
at highest risk for future OD death. In response, the New York City (NYC) Department of Health and Mental
Hygiene (DOHMH) has implemented Relay, a novel program that engages and intervenes with individuals in
the ED following an opioid OD and for the next 90 days, with the goal of preventing subsequent OD events. The
Relay intervention is grounded in the theory of triadic influence and dynamic social impact theory, and it
incorporates a motivational approach. Relay is delivered by trained peer navigators, who are DOHMH staff
with lived substance use experience. The proposed randomized controlled trial represents a collaboration
between academic, public health, and medical service partners to evaluate the impact of Relay on preventing
subsequent opioid-related adverse events. A total of 350 eligible individuals with nonfatal opioid OD
presenting to one of 4 participating EDs will be enrolled and randomized to one of two arms: 1) enhanced usual
care (EUC)—OD education and naloxone distribution (OEND) and list of opioid treatment programs; or 2)
Relay—peer-delivered OD education and treatment linkage, including 90 days of peer navigation. Outcomes
will be measured for 12 months through interviews and administrative health data. Aim 1 is to evaluate the
effectiveness of Relay to reduce the frequency of opioid-related adverse events (any opioid-involved OD [fatal
or nonfatal] or any substance use-related ED visit), in the 12 months following the index visit, the primary
outcome. Aim 2 is to evaluate the impact of Relay on the following secondary outcomes: initiation of
medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD), OD risk behaviors, time to next opioid-involved OD, and
frequency of ED visits for any cause. Aim 3 is to identify mediators (e.g., OD knowledge, support, experience of
stigma, peer modeling) and moderators (e.g., substance use history, age, sex, housing status) of the effect of
Relay. Aim 4 is to evaluate Relay’s implementation by assessing fidelity to the program model and exploring
barriers and facilitators to its delivery and sustainability through qualitative interviews with patients, Relay
peer navigators, and ED providers. The proposed study is significant because it will provide rigorous evidence
about whether peer interventions like Relay can meaningfully impact the opioid crisis by reducing opioid-
related adverse events. In the midst of an opioid crisis that shows no signs of abating, health authorities are
developing programs aimed at reducing OD deaths, even in the absence of strong evidence to support them.
This is a critically important time to conduct research that identifies which of these new...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10022294
- **Project number:** 5R01CE003154-02
- **Recipient organization:** NEW YORK UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Kelly Doran
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $767,448
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-09-30 → 2021-09-29

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10022294

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10022294, Randomized Controlled Trial of Relay- NYC's Nonfatal Overdose Response Program (5R01CE003154-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10022294. Licensed CC0.

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