Provides information and recommendations on safe and effective methods for acute pain management for Veterans Health Administration (VHA) healthcare providers to promote safe opioid prescribing and decrease the number of veterans who develop opioid use disorder (OUD). Covers the Stepped Care model to manage acute pain including opioid use risks, opioid free and non-pharmacological approaches for pain management, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT).

Identifies and describes the following seven drug policy priorities for the first year of the Biden-Harris Administration: expanding access to evidence-based treatment; advancing racial equity issues in drug policy; enhancing evidenced-based harm reduction efforts; supporting evidence-based prevention efforts to reduce youth substance use; reducing the supply of illicit substances; advancing recovery-ready workplaces and increasing the addiction workforce; and expanding access to recovery support services. Outlines next steps for the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to coordinate with other federal agencies to address drug policy priorities.

Offers evidence-based information, recommendations, guides, and tools to Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and Department of Defense (DoD) healthcare providers and patients to assist in the decision making process to improve the treatment and outcomes for patients with substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD) and methamphetamine use, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Describes best practices to help patients avoid preventable complications, reduce substance use, and improve their overall health and wellness.

Provides interactive data visualizations on drug poisoning mortality rates in the U.S. from 1999 to 2018. Shows national trends broken down by age, sex, and race and provides state and county-level data. Includes urban/rural trends by state for the estimated crude death rates for drug poisoning.

Provides an overview of a ten-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative, starting in fiscal year (FY) 2020, to end the epidemic of HIV, which remains a significant public health issue in America. Outlines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) role in the initiative, working with national, state, and local partners in efforts to diagnose, treat, and prevent new HIV infections, and respond to potential HIV outbreaks. Aims to jump start progress on reducing HIV and prevent a resurgence of the disease across the country. Includes national HIV data snapshots and links to other federal resources on a range of HIV-related topics.

Offers evidence-based opioid overdose prevention practices for community leaders, local and regional organizers, nonprofit groups, law enforcement, public health and other members of the public. Provides summaries of effective strategies to prevent opioid overdose and the context in which they are most effective. Discusses targeted naloxone distribution, including Good Samaritan laws, syringe services programs, criminal justice settings, and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and initiating MAT in emergency departments. Summarizes the major research on each practice and offers examples of organizations that have successfully used the strategies to reduce the risk of overdose.

Shares how law enforcement, firefighters, emergency medical services (EMS), and other first responders can take universal safety precautions to reduce the risk of exposure to COVID-19 and safely administer naloxone for overdose reversal during the pandemic.

Provides guidance to law enforcement and first responders on the safe use of naloxone to reverse opioid overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Discusses risks of coronavirus transmission while administering naloxone for both intranasal and intramuscular forms of delivery and the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) during overdose intervention. Offers information to assist first responders with making safe decisions on the use of naloxone with the goal of reducing their risk of COVID-19 infection while continuing to provide effective response to opioid overdose emergencies.

Collaborates with tribal stakeholders across the U.S. to address issues related to the treatment of chronic pain and the use of heroin and prescription opioids among tribal populations. Works to promote appropriate and effective pain management, reduce opioid overdose deaths, and improve access to culturally appropriate substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Workgroup focus areas include prescriber support, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), harm reduction, perinatal substance abuse, program effectiveness metrics, technical assistance, and communications.

Offers comprehensive information and resources on the use of prescription opioids, managing chronic pain, and opioid use disorder (OUD) for patients and providers, specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and Indian Health Service (IHS) providers. Includes online tools, technical assistance resources, guides, and training for patients and providers on topics such as opioid crisis data, opioid prevention, COVID-19 response and opioids, proper pain management, opioid prescribing/stewardship, maternal health, syringe services programs, naloxone use, child health and wellness, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), tele-MAT, trauma informed care, best practices, wellness courts, and training opportunities. Resource is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Program (ASAP).

Serves as a clearinghouse of resources to assist law enforcement agencies across the country in establishing a naloxone program to reduce the harm and number of deaths associated with opioid overdose. Offers information on a range of topics related to operating a naloxone program, including naloxone medication and its role in law enforcement; acquiring and administering naloxone; training law enforcement; liability and risk issues; and collaboration with other agencies and stakeholders. Provides a variety of tools and materials, such as sample documents and templates for data collection forms, training materials, press releases, community outreach materials, and more.

Documents the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from the Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Program (ROOR), a 2015 pilot grant program administered by HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Includes resources to support related projects and programs, with links to training, data strategies, and outreach tools. Product of the National Organization of State Offices of Rural Health funded by a cooperative agreement through HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.

Provides an overview of a 2017 pilot project to enhance the ability of local health departments (LHDs) to address opioid use and overdose in their communities. Aims to help LHDs work more effectively with state and local partners and reduce the occurrence of fatal and non-fatal overdose. Summarizes project activities and goals and a brief introduction to the four pilot sites: Bell County, Kentucky; Hillsborough County, New Hampshire; Montgomery County, Ohio; and Boone County, West Virginia.

Describes a new benefit that covers opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment services under Medicare Part B medical insurance. Enables the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make bundled payments to certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) for OUD treatment services for an episode of care provided to Medicare Part B beneficiaries. Covers the following services under the new benefit: opioid agonist and antagonist medication-assisted treatment (MAT) medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), naloxone and overdose education, substance use counseling, individual and group therapy, toxicology testing, intake activities, and periodic assessments.

Offers information and training videos on how to approach the topic of naloxone to individuals taking prescription opioids and with opioid use disorders (OUD). Includes videos demonstrating how to provide training for the three types of naloxone kits offered by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA), including nasal spray, auto-injector, and intramuscular.

Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution (OEND) program. Focuses on reducing opioid overdoses and deaths among veterans through education and training for prevention, recognition, rescue response, and naloxone kit use. Includes OEND videos and materials for providers and patients.

Allows local organizations, providers, and other stakeholders to add a free, customizable version of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opioid overdose website to their own websites. Helps communities disseminate online, up-to-date CDC opioid information and resources, as well as training on the CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain.

Contains field guidance, evidence-based to the extent possible, in the form of documents and presentations to support clinical decisions about starting, continuing, or tapering opioid therapy, and other challenges related to safe opioid prescribing. Includes patient and provider education, clinical tools, and other resources.

Consists of a public health and public safety collaboration between 21 high intensity drug trafficking areas (HIDTAs) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) across 34 states. Seeks to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdose rates by improving information sharing across agencies and supporting evidence-based interventions. Equips Overdose Response Strategy (ORS) states with one Drug Intelligence Officer (DIO) and one Public Health Analyst (PHA) who are responsible for helping to increase communication, data flow, and intelligence sharing between public safety and public health sectors within and across ORS states. Works to create an essential information-sharing network and data-driven action approach designed to reduce overdose and help save lives.

Provides a collection of pain-related instructional items cataloged by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Academic Detailing Service (ADS). Helps providers assist patients with pain management by providing tools, resources, guides, and other informational materials on topics such as pain, opioid safety, headaches, opioid use disorder (OUD), opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution, and suicide.

Fact sheet detailing the six-step planning process to help schools and institutions of higher education develop or update emergency operation plans (EOPs) to address potential threats and issues resulting from opioid misuse and abuse. Discusses the five mission areas of preparedness for opioid-related emergencies and the effects of the opioid crisis on school-aged children, young adults, and school safety. Includes links to additional resources and information to aid in the development of school EOPs, and programs and activities to address an opioid overdose.

Provides an overview of the opioid crisis in rural America and includes information and resources on initiatives and funding opportunities to address the crisis. Covers successful rural model program examples, events, and other tools for prevention, harm reduction, and treatment. Product of the Rural Health Information Hub funded by a cooperative agreement through HRSA's Federal Office of Rural Health Policy.

Describes how naloxone is used and the medication's side effects. Briefly discusses causes of opioid overdose. Highlights how the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is working with communities, local governments, local law enforcement, and state and federal partners to expand naloxone use.

Details a school-centered pilot project that examined implementing strategies to prevent youth substance abuse and risky sexual behaviors in high-risk rural communities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Highlights efforts to address related issues of HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), teen pregnancy, and high-risk substance use through education, primary prevention, and early detection screening. Program activities included implementing new health curricula, partnering with health departments and community drug-free coalitions, and developing and distributing informational products and video campaigns.

Provides access to education materials advocating for evidence-based treatments to help providers improve the health of veterans. Offers provider and patient education tools and outreach resources to encourage evidence-based decision making for a variety of medical conditions and diseases, including opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorders (SUDs), pain, suicide, dementia, depression, HIV, PTSD, and more.