Emergency Department-Substance Use Screening, Motivational Interviewing and Active Referral Targeting Substance Use Disorder and Overdose Prevention (ED-SMART)

May 19, 2026 updated by: BrownLab, Purdue University

ED-SMART: Emergency Department-Substance Use Screening, Motivational Interviewing and Active Referral Targeting Substance Use Disorder and Overdose Prevention

The purpose of this research study is to learn if an emergency department screening and telehealth intervention reduces substance use among individuals receiving emergency department treatment at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

650

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adult at least 18 years of age
  • Capacity and willingness to participate (including reliable phone or internet access for counseling session)
  • Lower or Moderate Risk score on one or more substance use types on National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)-Modified Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Use Involvement Test (ASSIST). Participants may also endorse alcohol use in conjunction with substance use as indicated by an Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Concise (AUDIT-C) score of Moderate Risk.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • A priori participant request for participation
  • Previously enrolled in this or other study of substance use disorder prevention
  • Language other than English
  • Expected/actual ED disposition of hospitalization or non-independent status
  • Prisoner at time of enrollment
  • Known to be pregnant at time of enrollment
  • Past substance use disorder or substance use treatment
  • High risk score for one or more substances on the NIDA-Modified ASSIST or problematic alcohol use alone

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: ED-SMART intervention
The ED-SMART intervention includes: (i) a brief (approximately 15 minutes) counseling session in the emergency department and (ii) five, monthly brief counseling sessions (approximately 15 to 30 minutes) delivered by telehealth. These sessions will focus on creating individualized strategies to help participants reach their alcohol and substance use reduction goals.
Behavioral: ED-SMART intervention
The ED-SMART intervention will include: (i) a brief (approximately 15 minutes) counseling session in the emergency department and (ii) five, monthly brief counseling sessions (approximately 15 to 30 minutes) delivered by telehealth. These sessions will focus on creating individualized strategies to help participants reach their alcohol and substance use reduction goals
Placebo Comparator: Substance use information
The substance use information condition will receive printed health information covering information about substance use (e.g., definitions, hazards, potential for addiction, injury, and other consequences). Staff will also discuss ways to utilize primary care or establish care with a primary care provider to provide ongoing follow-up.
Behavioral: Substance use information
The substance use information condition will receive printed health information covering information about substance use (e.g., definitions, hazards, potential for addiction, injury, and other consequences). Research staff will also discuss ways to utilize primary care or establish care with a primary care provider to provide ongoing follow-up.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Self-reported substance use
Time Frame: From baseline to the sixth month follow-up assessment
Self-reported substance use frequency
From baseline to the sixth month follow-up assessment

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Self-reported substance use quantity
Time Frame: From baseline to the six month follow-up
Self-reported substance use quantity for each substance
From baseline to the six month follow-up
Incidence of positive substance use disorder screen
Time Frame: From baseline to the six month follow-up
Incidence of positive substance use disorder screen as measured by the NIDA Modified ASSIST or AUDIT
From baseline to the six month follow-up
Toxicology assays for substance use
Time Frame: From baseline to the six month follow-up assessment
Proportion with positive toxicology assay for substance use
From baseline to the six month follow-up assessment
Self-reported healthcare utilization
Time Frame: Baseline to the six month follow-up assessment
Self-reported healthcare utilization
Baseline to the six month follow-up assessment
Fatal and non-fatal overdose
Time Frame: Baseline to the six month follow-up assessment
Frequency of fatal and non-fatal overdose
Baseline to the six month follow-up assessment

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Purdue University

Collaborators

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: Jennifer L. Brown, PhD, Purdue University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

June 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2029

Study Completion (Estimated)

September 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

April 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

April 7, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

April 14, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

May 22, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 19, 2026

Last Verified

May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • STUDY2025-00000054
  • U01CE003825 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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