Preparing to Scale Recovery Management Checkups After 25 Years of Efficacy: An Overview of a Current Hybrid Type 2 Equivalence-Implementation Approach

Dennis Watson, PhD, MA, MS
Chestnut Health Systems

ABSTRACT:
Background: Recovery Management Checkups (RMC) is a treatment and recovery support intervention grounded in a chronic disease model of care for people living with a substance use disorder. Across multiple experimental and quasi-experimental studies spanning more than 25 years, RMC has repeatedly improved treatment linkage, re-engagement, retention, and abstinence, and has demonstrated cost-effectiveness. However, the model has never been widely implemented in routine community practice.

Results: This presentation will describe the long-overdue next stage of implementation-focused RMC research, anchored by two hybrid type 2 equivalence-implementation trials in criminal-legal and primary care settings. It addresses the history of RMC, current opportunities to scale the model, the implementation approaches now being tested, and the rationale for adopting an equivalence rather than an effectiveness framing in the current studies.

Conclusions: Implementation efforts for RMC are beginning at a time when the field is formally recognizing long-term recovery support as essential care. Meeting the moment requires quick and credible translation of this mature intervention, for which an equivalence-anchored hybrid design carries benefits.