This Free App Is Helping Homeless People Recover From Addiction—And It's Actually Working

A new study shows that a smartphone app designed specifically for people struggling with both addiction and homelessness can significantly reduce substance use within just one month. Among people who misused opioids or other drugs and lacked stable housing, those who used the uMAT-R app reported roughly 50% fewer instances of non-opioid drug use compared to those who didn't engage with the app, according to research published in Drug and Alcohol Dependence.

Why This Matters for the Hardest-to-Reach Populations?

People experiencing housing insecurity face a unique barrier to recovery: they're far more likely to overdose and far less likely to receive treatment than those with stable housing. Yet fewer than one in five people with substance use disorder report receiving any treatment at all. The challenge isn't just access to care—it's that traditional treatment models often don't account for the specific struggles of people living on the streets or in shelters.

"There is a lot of overlap with people who are experiencing housing insecurity and have substance use disorders, so it is important to make sure that the interventions that we provide are addressing the needs of this specific subpopulation," said Dr. Vidya Eswaran, an assistant professor in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and lead author of the study. "Some people might think that these groups would not have a mobile phone or the digital literacy to use an app like this, but the results show people were not only using it, but also getting benefit from it."

How Does the uMAT-R App Actually Work?

The uMAT-R app (pronounced "you matter") was developed in 2018 by researchers at Washington University and is designed to provide free, accessible support for people with any substance use disorder, including opioids, stimulants, and hallucinogens. The app works on both iOS and Android smartphones and includes several key features:

• Sobriety Tracking: Users can monitor their progress with a built-in sobriety tracker that helps them visualize their recovery journey.
• Educational Content: The app provides information on managing withdrawal symptoms, maintaining sobriety, and improving mental health through evidence-based resources.
• Treatment and Resource Directory: Users access information on local treatment options and social support resources within their community.
• E-Coach Support: Trained coaches are available Monday through Friday via a chat function to offer advice, encouragement, and personalized guidance.

The app was inspired by something researchers observed in online communities: people with substance use disorders naturally supporting each other through social media, even when they felt most alone or stigmatized. "I observed how folks use social media venues to support each other, even during times when they were feeling most alone or stigmatized," explained Dr. Patricia Cavazos-Rehg, a professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Washington University and senior author of the study. "They would ask questions on social media about clinical care and seek out resources for mental health help. This inspired me to develop a tool for people who are going through mental health problems or are in recovery support."

What Did the Research Actually Show?

The study analyzed data from 378 people experiencing housing insecurity who used the app between 2020 and 2024. Of 972 initial enrollees, more than 70% self-identified as having insecure housing—which could mean living in shelters, on the street, in a treatment facility, or staying temporarily with someone else.

The results were striking. Participants who used uMAT-R were about 50% less likely to have used non-opioid illicit drugs after a month compared to those who didn't log on. For people who specifically used the e-coach chat function, the benefits were even more pronounced: they were about 50% less likely to report opioid use than those who didn't use that feature.

Beyond reducing drug use, the app also improved mental health markers. Using the app was associated with reduced substance cravings and lower feelings of being a burden to others—a measure of depression that researchers tracked. People who used the chat function with e-coaches showed improvements in health literacy (the ability to find and understand health information) and reduced feelings of social alienation and isolation.

Higher levels of overall app use correlated with greater reductions in illicit drug use, suggesting that engagement matters: the more people interacted with the app's features, the better their outcomes.

What Comes Next for Digital Recovery Tools?

The uMAT-R app is not yet publicly available. Currently, participants are enrolled while receiving care at treatment centers or health care facilities in Missouri, including Barnes-Jewish Hospital, or through word-of-mouth referrals from other users. However, the success of this study has opened doors for expansion.

Dr. Eswaran is already planning a similar study for recently incarcerated people with substance use disorders, recognizing that this is another vulnerable population with distinct barriers to traditional treatment. "These results speak to the promise of what mobile health and digital health technologies can bring to the treatment of hard-to-reach populations," she said. "There's potential to think creatively about how we adapt and refine tools like this even more to support vulnerable populations."

The research was made possible by long-term funding from the Missouri Department of Mental Health, which recognized that recovery doesn't happen only in clinical settings. "They recognized that a lot of life happens outside of traditional in-person mental health and substance use treatment settings, and that mobile apps can be affordable, accessible tools that can improve the health and wellbeing of people, especially during critical times when other types of help may not be readily available," Dr. Cavazos-Rehg noted.

For people struggling with addiction while experiencing homelessness, this research offers hope: recovery support doesn't require a permanent address or a therapist's office. Sometimes, it just requires a smartphone and a tool designed with their specific challenges in mind.