Information Resources for Substance Use Disorder

2022 National Drug Control Strategy

Outlines federal drug policy priorities and promotes short and long-term solutions to reduce drug use, overdose, and other related harms in the U.S. Priorities include: expanding access to medication for opioid use disorder and other evidence-based treatment; advancing racial equity in drug policy; enhancing harm reduction efforts; supporting youth substance use prevention; reducing the supply of illicit substances; advancing recovery-ready workplaces; and expanding addiction workforce and access to recovery support services. Includes strategies to address substance use issues in rural and underserved communities.

Date: 2022
Sponsor: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
2022 Report to Congress on the State Opioid Response Grants (SOR)

Reports on the implementation, activities, and outcomes of state opioid response (SOR) grantees using data collected in fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Includes accomplishments for all the states and territories and rural mentions throughout.

Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Adapting Evidence-Based Practices for Under-Resourced Populations

Provides guidance for behavioral health practitioners, community leaders, and other stakeholders on the process of adapting evidence-based practices (EBPs) for individuals from under-resourced populations with mental health and substance use disorders (SUDs). Focuses on adaptations to make mental health and SUD treatment EBPs more culturally responsive to help address behavioral health inequities for groups that experience barriers to care, including tribal and rural populations. Describes various cultural adaptations for EBPs and supporting research, and offers program examples as well as evaluation and quality improvement resources.

Date: 2022
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Biden-Harris Administration's Statement of Drug Policy Priorities for Year One

Identifies and describes the following 7 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.

Date: 03/2021
Sponsor: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Caring for Women with Opioid Use Disorder: A Toolkit for Organization Leaders and Providers

Provides information and resources for healthcare and social service organization leaders and providers to improve care coordination and access to services for women with opioid use disorder (OUD) in programs supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), such as health centers, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Ryan White HIV/AIDS clinics, and home visiting programs, as well as in other care settings. Focuses on shifting the culture around addiction and treatment, engaging women with OUD in care, and creating and maintaining partnerships that support care coordination for women with OUD. Offers self-assessment tools and metrics to help users monitor and evaluate care coordination in their organizations.

Date: 11/2020
Sponsor: HRSA Office of Women's Health (OWH)
CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain

Provides evidence-based information, guidance, clinical tools, webinars, training, and other resources on the safe and effective prescription of opioids to treat chronic pain in a primary care setting. Addresses patient-centered clinical practices, including accurate assessments, evaluation of treatment options, risk monitoring, and safely ending opioid treatment. Provides an overview of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMP) and the latest research and activity to reduce the occurrence of opioid use disorder (OUD).

Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)

Serves as the federal agency leading the national effort to promote community-based substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery services for individuals and families. Works to improve and strengthen SUD treatment organizations and systems to help build capacity and meet the demand for services nationwide. Supports states and community-based programs in adopting and adapting evidence-based and best practices to reduce barriers and improve access to high quality treatment and recovery services. Offers free treatment referral to connect people dealing with issues related to substance use to programs and services available in their community.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
CMS Letter to State Medicaid Directors: Leveraging Medicaid Technology to Address the Opioid Crisis

Offers states information and advice regarding strategies to combat the opioid crisis using technology, as well as potential funding opportunities for these efforts. Discusses implementing prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) to track and facilitate the safe prescription of opioid medications and increasing data-driven approaches, interoperability, and telehealth services to improve care coordination among healthcare professionals.

Date: 06/2018
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS Opioid Treatment Program Providers Dataset

Offers a dataset with information on Medicare-enrolled Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) providers that is updated monthly. Contains the name, National Provider Identifier (NPI), address, phone number, and the effective enrollment date for each provider. Includes resources for understanding and using the data.

Date: 01/2024
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
CMS Roadmap: Strategy to Fight the Opioid Crisis

Describes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) activities to address the opioid epidemic related to prevention, treatment, and data. Highlights program successes, innovative approaches, and future goals of CMS efforts to address the opioid crisis.

Date: 06/2020
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Connecting Communities to Substance Use Services: Practical Approaches for First Responders

Provides information to first responder agencies, communities, and other stakeholders to support practices and approaches for first responders to connect people to substance use treatment and other support services. Offers evidence-based strategies, public health approaches, resources, and program models, including best practices for responding to opioid overdoses. Considers potential challenges, such as those faced in rural areas, and other factors when implementing initiatives to support people who use drugs.

Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Controlled Substance Public Disposal Locations Search Tool

Offers a search tool to locate public disposal locations for controlled substances. Users can enter a ZIP code or city and state information, and select a search radius from 5 miles up to a maximum of 50 miles. The result page lists the names, addresses, and maps of the disposal sites for the search criteria.

Sponsor: U.S. Department of Justice
Conversations with Rural Law Enforcement Leaders – Volume 1

Summarizes key focus areas, needs, and recommendations of underrepresented rural and tribal law enforcement leaders in 5 states that were the result of a series of listening sessions with federal agencies. Includes topics such as substance use, mental health, and homelessness; illicit drugs; trafficking from the southern border; relationships with tribes; and funding, among others. Provides individual state summaries and U.S. Department of Justice resources to support local efforts to enhance public safety and reduce crime in rural and tribal areas.

Date: 2020
Sponsors: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
Conversations with Rural Law Enforcement Leaders – Volume 2

Summarizes key focus areas, needs, and recommendations of underrepresented rural and tribal law enforcement leaders in 9 states that were the result of a series of listening sessions with federal agencies. Includes topics such as substance use and addiction; mental health and medical care; illegal drug trafficking and related crime; school safety; and funding, among others. Describes ongoing federal responses to rural law enforcement concerns and highlights several best practices and new ideas to support local efforts to enhance public safety and reduce crime in rural and tribal areas.

Date: 2021
Sponsors: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
County-Level Drug Overdose Mortality in the United States, 2003-2021

Provides interactive data visualizations on drug poisoning mortality rates in the U.S. from 2003 through 2021. 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.

Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Cultural Factors That Protect Against Substance Misuse and Promote Mental Health in American Indian and Alaska Native Populations

Summarizes research examining how cultural-specific risk and protective factors can contribute to or mitigate substance misuse among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) populations. Aims to inform prevention planning by tribal communities and providers to include culturally responsive programs, practices, and policies that can reduce substance misuse and support the mental health and well-being of AI/AN individuals, youth, and families.

Date: 2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Culturally Responsive Pathways to Peer Programming in Tribal Communities

Provides an overview and history on the use of peer recovery support services (PRSS) in tribal communities to address high rates of substance use and substance use disorders (SUDs). Offers resources and models on best practices for tribes to develop, implement, and sustain PRSS programming. Draws insights from 9 tribal PRSS practitioners to highlight the importance of including Native American culture and traditions into PRSS delivery.

Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Digital Therapeutics for Management and Treatment in Behavioral Health

Provides an overview and highlights the benefits of using digital therapeutics (DTx) health software to treat or alleviate behavioral health conditions. Offers information on DTx research, regulatory and reimbursement considerations, and advice for providers on how to select and implement DTx in their practice. Describes issues related to DTx, behavioral health equity, and potential barriers to access, including in rural areas.

Date: 07/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program: End-of-Year 2022 Report National Cross-Site Evaluation

Provides a brief outline of the Drug-Free Communities (DFC) Support Program and summarizes national DFC program implementation evaluation data from February to August 2022. Describes the reach of the DFC program, substances addressed, community protective and risk factors, and the types of communities served, including rural and frontier areas.

Date: 08/2023
Sponsors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
EARN's Mental Health Toolkit

Offers focused information and guidance for employers seeking to create a mental health-friendly workplace. Includes research summaries to better inform employers about workplace mental health issues. Features a 4 A's - Awareness, Accommodations, Assistance, and Access - framework and links to resources to help organizations develop their own mental health initiatives, including accommodations and support for employees with substance use disorder (SUD). Provides descriptions of successful model programs implemented by a diverse set of companies and organizations.

Sponsor: Office of Disability Employment Policy (ODEP)
Emergency Department Interventions for Opioid Use Disorder: Overview of the Landscape, Key Components, and Analysis of Five Case Studies

Describes emergency department-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and intervention models and key features of emergency department-based OUD treatment models. Shares findings from 5 case studies of emergency department-based OUD treatment programs located throughout the U.S., including from an emergency department of a free-standing rural hospital in California.

Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America

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.

Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Engaging Community Coalitions to Decrease Opioid Overdose Deaths Practice Guide 2023

Provides guidance and resources to help individuals and communities build and strengthen community coalitions with the ultimate goal of decreasing opioid overdose deaths. Includes insights from rural communities and rural considerations.

Date: 2023
Sponsors: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Evidence-Based Strategies for Preventing Opioid Overdose: What's Working in the United States

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.

Date: 2018
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Expanding Access to and Use of Behavioral Health Services for People Experiencing Homelessness

Shares strategies, considerations, and information for behavioral health and other healthcare practitioners working to expand access to mental health and/or substance use disorder (SUD) treatment for people experiencing homelessness. Highlights 4 case studies of organizations working to address mental health and SUD among populations experiencing homelessness, including a rural specific example located in Colorado.

Date: 01/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Fentanyl and Carfentanil

Describes the uses and dangers of fentanyl and carfentanil, which are both extremely potent synthetic opioids. Includes methods for reducing opioid use and overdoses, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and naloxone distribution.

Date: 01/2018
Sponsor: VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services
Funding Support to Help Address Opioid Misuse in Rural Communities

Offers information on topics to address opioid misuse in rural communities for which U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) funding is available. Includes funding for equipment, healthcare and other facilities, as well as other forms of support such as workforce development, strategic and community planning activities.

Date: 06/2018
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
How Can USDA Help Address the Opioid Epidemic?

Infographic highlighting areas where resources and programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) have worked to address prevention, treatment, and recovery from opioid use, as well as programs to help build upstream resilience and future prosperity in rural communities.

Date: 06/2018
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
How to Receive Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Training

Provides information, resources, and eligibility criteria to obtain free training to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for eligible clinicians working to address the opioid epidemic.

Sponsor: Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW)
HRSA: Opioid Crisis

Outlines how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is addressing the opioid crisis and resources on expanding access to care, connecting resources, sharing best practices, training, and more.

Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
IHS National Committee on Heroin Opioids and Pain Efforts (HOPE Committee)

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, treatment and recovery, harm reduction, program effectiveness metrics, technical assistance, and communications.

Sponsor: Indian Health Service (IHS)
Implementing Peer Support Services in Small and Rural Law Enforcement Agencies

Discusses key considerations for small and rural law enforcement agencies seeking to establish and maintain peer support services. Promotes peer support as part of a wellness strategy for police officers dealing with substance use, mental, or physical health issues related to working in a high stress occupation. Provides action steps for peer support program design as well as promising practices and lessons learned from 3 small and rural departments currently utilizing peer support.

Date: 2023
Sponsor: Office of Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS Office)
Indian Health Service (IHS) Behavioral Health Fact Sheet

Provides an overview of how Indian Health Service (IHS) is working to address behavioral health in American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Describes behavioral issues affecting individuals and families, such as alcohol and substance use disorder (SUD), mental health, suicide, domestic violence, and behavior-related chronic disease.

Date: 06/2023
Sponsor: Indian Health Service (IHS)
Inspire and Think Big: Recovery Communities' Role in Challenging Times, Part 1

Interview with Colin Cash from the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in Minnesota discussing his experience founding and leading the Sober Squad Recovery Movement program. Highlights ways that this program can serve as a model for advancing and sustaining recovery communities during periods of change and disruption.

Date: 07/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Inspire and Think Big: Recovery Communities' Role in Challenging Times, Part 2

Interview with Ruby Takushi, Director of Programs for the Recovery Café in Seattle, Washington. Discusses aspects of the recovery cafe model and how it may be used to advance and sustain recovery communities during periods of change and disruption.

Date: 07/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Inspire and Think Big: Recovery Communities' Role in Challenging Times, Part 3

Interview with Andre Johnson, President and CEO of the Detroit Recovery Project. Discusses how a peer-led, peer-run, peer-delivered recovery model can be used to advance recovery communities and help individuals maintain recovery during periods of change and disruption.

Date: 08/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Inspire and Think Big: Recovery Communities' Role in Challenging Times, Part 4

Interview with Callan Howton, Director of the National Peer-Run Training and Technical Assistance Center for Addiction Recovery Peer Support. Highlights how this model of providing recovery housing can be used to advance recovery communities and help individuals maintain recovery from substance use during periods of change and disruption.

Date: 08/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Inspire and Think Big: Recovery Communities' Role in Challenging Times, Part 5

Interview with Precia Stuby, Executive Director of the Hancock County Board of Alcohol, Drug Addiction and Mental Health Services in Ohio. Discusses how embedding a recovery-oriented system of care (ROSC) model in local health agencies may be employed as a strategy to advance and sustain recovery communities during periods of change and disruption.

Date: 08/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Inspire and Think Big: Recovery Communities' Role in Challenging Times, Part 6

Panel discussion featuring 5 representatives from recovery communities in different regions of the country. Draws on the speakers' experiences working to build successful community-based recovery programs and explores how their various approaches and strategies may serve as models to advance and sustain recovery communities during periods of change and disruption.

Date: 08/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Law Enforcement Naloxone Toolkit

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. Product of the Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) funded by a contract through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Lessons Learned from the Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Program

Documents the challenges, successes, and lessons learned from the Rural Opioid Overdose Reversal Program (ROOR), a 2015 pilot grant program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration's (HRSA) Federal Office of Rural Health Policy. Includes resources to support related projects and programs, with links to training, data strategies, and outreach tools.

Date: 04/2017
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Local Response to Public Health Emergencies: Focus on the Opioid Epidemic

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 by working 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.

Date: 2019
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Mapping Broadband Health in America

Interactive map providing broadband and health data at the national, state, and county levels. Includes maps with data on broadband, maternal health, chronic disease, opioids, and access to care. Allows users to filter data by rurality. Helps users explore the intersection of broadband and health to better inform policies, programs, innovation, and investment decisions.

Date: 2023
Sponsor: Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
Medicaid and CHIP Enrollees Who Received Mental Health or SUD Services in 2020

Provides data describing Medicaid and the Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) enrollees, ages 12 to 64, who received at least 1 mental health (MH) or substance use disorder (SUD) service paid for by Medicaid or CHIP in 2020. Supports CMS efforts to measure disparities in healthcare access and make targeted, data-informed investments to improve health equity for Medicaid and CHIP populations. Summarizes demographic trends among enrollees receiving SUD/MH services, including analysis by age, sex/gender identity, race/ethnicity, geographic area, primary language spoken, and eligibility category.

Date: 12/2023
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Medicaid Opioid Prescribing Rates by Geography Dataset

Provides a dataset with comparisons of the number and percentage of Medicaid opioid prescriptions from each state. Includes an interactive mapping tool and resources for understanding and using the data.

Date: 2021
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Medicare Coverage of Services in Opioid Treatment Programs

Describes a 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 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.

Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Medicare Part D Opioid Prescribing Rates by Geography Dataset

Provides a dataset with comparisons of the number and percentage of Medicare Part D opioid prescriptions at the state, county, and ZIP code level. Includes an interactive mapping tool and resources for understanding and using the data.

Date: 2021
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

Provides information on methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone and how they are used to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). Covers the signs of an overdose and answers questions about each medication.

Date: 06/2020
Sponsor: VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services
Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study: Findings Report

Shares the results of the Mental and Substance Use Disorders Prevalence Study (MDPS), a pilot program to determine the lifetime and past-year prevalence rates of schizophrenia spectrum disorders; past-year bipolar I disorder, major depressive disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD), obsessive-compulsive disorder, and anorexia nervosa; and past-year alcohol, opioid, cannabis, stimulant, and sedative/hypnotic/anxiolytic use disorders. Includes statistics and data on rural areas.

Date: 2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
National Prevention Week (NPW)

Offers information on a week-long event dedicated to promoting public awareness of mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD), increasing community engagement, and highlighting promising and evidence-based prevention approaches. Includes a planning toolkit, webinars, and other resources to support community prevention efforts and help communities organize local events and activities in support of National Prevention Week. Helps communities connect and collaborate with federal agencies and national organizations to raise awareness about substance use prevention and promote positive mental health.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
National Recovery Month

Offers information on a month-long event held every September to promote public awareness and knowledge of mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD), and celebrate those in recovery. Includes a toolkit, webinars, recovery publications, and other resources and tips to engage communities, stakeholders, local officials, and others in support of Recovery Month.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
National Report: Rural Substance Use Disorder Stigma and Treatment Needs

Shares the results of a survey of practitioners affiliated with Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grant sites throughout the U.S. to assess substance use disorder (SUD) stigma and treatment needs in rural areas. Includes various statistics on practitioner demographics, professional roles, work setting, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), stigma, and other practitioner beliefs and barriers.

Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
New Federal Employees' Compensation Act (FECA) Policy on Opioid Medications

Shares a policy, effective September 23, 2019, whereby injured federal workers receiving workers' compensation that are newly prescribed opioids will be limited to an initial 7-day supply. Allows an injured worker to receive a maximum of 4 sequential 7-day supply prescriptions, an initial and 3 subsequent prescriptions, for a total of 28 days before prior authorization is required. For additional opioid prescriptions exceeding the initial 28-day period, the prescribing physician will need to submit a form certifying the medical necessity of continued opioid use for approval from the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP).

Sponsor: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP)
Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Mentoring Program

Describes opportunities and resources related to mentoring, including relevant research, programmatic grants, training and technical assistance, and publications. Aims to increase access to effective mentoring services for youth in hopes of reducing youth substance use, aggression, depression, and criminal behavior while improving self-esteem, academic performance, and peer relationships.

Sponsor: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
Opioid Crisis and Substance Misuse

Provides tools, publications, and other resources for schools to provide services, support, and interventions to address opioid and substance misuse for students and their families. Includes information on substance use and related trauma among students. Discusses implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) to improve school climate and reduce substance use.

Sponsors: Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
Opioid Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution (OEND)

Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Opioid Overdose Education & 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.

Sponsor: VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services
Opioid Overdose Prevention for State and Local Health Departments Microsite

Allows local organizations, providers, state and local health departments, 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, current CDC opioid information and resources, as well as training on the CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain.

Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Opioid Policy Four-Point Strategic Plan to Protect Federal Injured Workers

Describes a 4-point strategic plan to protect injured federal workers covered under the Federal Employee's Compensation Act from the risk of opioid misuse and addiction. Includes details on these policy initiatives and their progress, information on any new policies, as well as a discussion of opioid facts and risk factors for opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose, and links to additional resources.

Sponsor: Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP)
Opioid Safety Initiative Toolkit

Toolkit sharing field guidance, resources, 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.

Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Opioid Stewardship in the Indian Health Service (IHS)

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, proper pain management, opioid prescribing/stewardship, culturally appropriate practices, maternal health, harm reduction, naloxone use, child health and wellness, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), tele-MAT, trauma-informed care, best practices, supportive services, wellness courts, and training opportunities. Resource is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Sponsor: Indian Health Service (IHS)
Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach: A Guide for Policymakers for Implementing Evidence-Based Strategies That Address Opioid Overdose

Provides guidance to policymakers, communities, and key stakeholders to develop and implement system- and practice-level changes to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Presents results from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative's HEALing Communities Study. Outlines priority populations and 19 evidence-based interventions to prevent and reduce opioid related overdose deaths. Offers resources on various topics related opioid overdose and highlights model programs, including those serving rural areas.

Date: 2023
Sponsors: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH)
Opioid-Overdose Reduction Continuum of Care Approach (ORCCA) Practice Guide 2023

Provides guidance and resources to help communities, healthcare providers, and volunteers providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and harm reduction and recovery services address opioid use in their communities. Include rural mentions throughout.

Date: 09/2023
Sponsors: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Overdose Mapping Tool: Drug Overdose Deaths in the United States

Interactive map providing state- and county-level data showing the rates of drug overdose deaths, including opioid deaths, in the U.S. Allows users to create maps illustrating connections between overdose deaths and selected demographic, economic, and behavioral health characteristics, including race/ethnicity, age, education, disability status, household income, poverty rates, unemployment rates, the number of mental health facilities per 100,000 population, and more.

Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Overdose Prevention Strategy

Details the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services strategy to respond to drug overdoses and prevent overdose deaths across the U.S. Shares research, resources, and evidence-informed overdose interventions focused on 4 priority areas: primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support. Offers strategies and resources designed to increase coordination among key stakeholders, reduce stigma, and expand access to healthcare and treatment for underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Overdose Response and Linkage to Care: A Roadmap for Health Departments

Shares information, resources, and tools organized around 7 strategies to help local and state health departments link people at risk of opioid overdose to care. Includes rural examples and discussion throughout.

Date: 11/2021
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Overdose Response Strategy (ORS)

Consists of a public health and public safety collaboration between the High Intensity Drug Trafficking Areas (HIDTA) program and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) across the U.S. Seeks to help communities reduce fatal and non-fatal drug overdose rates by improving information sharing across agencies and supporting evidence-based interventions. Equips states with a Drug Intelligence Officer (DIO) and a 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 states.

Sponsors: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Policy Priority Roundtable Summary Report: Improving Buprenorphine Access in Pharmacy Settings

Highlights discussion and policy priorities from a August 2022 virtual roundtable meeting focused on increasing awareness and understanding of the barriers and challenges related to buprenorphine access in pharmacy settings the U.S. Includes specific observations and recommendations to improve buprenorphine access in pharmacy settings in rural areas.

Date: 11/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Preparing for Opioid-Related Emergencies for K-12 Schools and Institutions of Higher Education

Fact sheet detailing a 6-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 5 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.

Date: 11/2018
Sponsor: Office of Safe and Supportive Schools (OSSS)
RCORP: Helping Meet Rural Needs

Features a 6-part video series highlighting Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grantees and their work to prevent and treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in their communities.

Date: 11/2023
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Recovery Ecosystem Index Map

Interactive map providing county-level data describing community-level factors to support individuals in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). Allows users to create maps illustrating connections between overdose deaths including opioid deaths, and selected demographic and economic factors.

Date: 09/2022
Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Resources for Substance Use Disorder and Opioid Misuse Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery

Shares programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) to address specific community needs related to substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. Provides brief program summaries with information on program eligibility, as well as how the program may be used to confront issues of substance and opioid misuse in rural communities.

Date: 02/2019
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
Rural Community Action Guide: Building Stronger, Healthy, Drug-Free Rural Communities

Provides an overview of the challenges facing communities seeking to address opioid misuse and substance use disorders in rural areas. Offers information and guidance from a wide range of experts and stakeholders to help rural leaders develop effective prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies to mitigate the impacts of substance use on rural populations. Highlights promising practices, lessons learned, and key resources to support community-led efforts to prevent and reduce substance use and build healthy communities.

Date: 01/2020
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
Rural Disaster Behavioral Health: A Guide for Outreach Workers and Crisis Counselors

Shares information for crisis counselors, outreach workers, and other supportive service providers on how to best respond to the behavioral health needs of diverse rural populations following a disaster. Considers unique risk factors, strengths, and the behavioral health impacts of disasters on rural populations. Highlights best practices to help rural individuals and communities access mental health and substance use services and treatment after disaster events. Includes a summary of recommendations, resources, and a customizable tip sheet for outreach to rural residents.

Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Rural Faith Leaders Connecting Faith to Prevention Workshop

Video recording of a workshop discussion intended to help rural faith leaders understand substance use prevention and identify and implement evidence-based prevention strategies in rural communities. Provides information on substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery in a rural context. Highlights ways that faith communities can partner with other stakeholders to develop prevention programs and activities and offers several faith-based prevention program models.

Date: 05/2021
Sponsor: Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Rural Health Research Center Publications on Substance Use and Treatment

Lists policy briefs, working papers, journal articles, and other publications on substance use and treatment in rural areas published by federally-funded Rural Health Research Centers. Includes links to upcoming and archived webinars on the topic and other related research projects.

Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural Health Research RECAP: Opioid Use and Treatment Availability

Summarizes research describing the prevalence of opioid use in rural communities. Includes statistics on the perceived need and use of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Date: 01/2018
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural Health Research RECAP: Opioid Use Disorder and Treatment: Rural-Urban Comparisons

Summarizes research describing differences between rural and urban populations with opioid use disorder (OUD) including youth, young adults, and pregnant women. Includes statistics describing the impacts OUD has on both rural and urban emergency department visits.

Date: 02/2022
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural Prevention and Treatment of Substance Use Disorders Toolkit

Highlights evidence-based and promising models and related resources to develop, implement, evaluate, and build sustainable substance use disorder (SUD) prevention and treatment programs in rural communities. Identifies barriers to SUD and treatment in rural areas.

Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural Response to the Opioid Crisis Topic Guide

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.

Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural Sheriffs and Judges Workshop Highlights

Video recording sharing highlights from a December 13-14, 2018 workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee attended by rural sheriffs and judges. Workshop hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to brainstorm ideas and discuss new methods to address the opioid crisis.

Date: 12/2018
Sponsors: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
Rx Awareness Campaign

Provides information and resources to help states and local communities building media campaigns to increase awareness and educate the public on the dangers of prescription opioids by sharing the stories of people impacted by them. Offers videos, radio spots, social media posts, signage, and online ads that cover opioid treatment and recovery, overdose prevention, and real life stories of addiction and loss due to prescription opioids.

Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
SAMHSA Behavioral Health Equity Program (BHEP)

Offers information and resources to support and promote behavioral health equity by removing barriers and providing prevention and treatment services for mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD). Includes links to data, reports, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs and federal programs and initiatives for the following populations: Hispanic or Latino; Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI); American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN); Black or African Americans; and the LGBTQ+ populations.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ)

Provides access to data, reports, and other information from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ) on various aspects of behavioral health, including substance use and mental health treatment services. Includes data on household substance use and mental health; treatment, admissions, and discharges; mental health facilities; substance use facilities; emergency departments; client-level mental health information; and uniform reporting system statistics.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Criminal and Juvenile Justice Programs

Provides an overview of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) efforts to address the challenges incarcerated and justice system-involved individuals face when attempting to seek treatment for and recover from mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD). Seeks to increase access to behavioral health services, minimize costs, and other consequences related to the unnecessary and repetitive incarceration of people with behavioral health issues. Discusses strategies to identify individuals with mental illness and SUD, implement diversion programs, enhancing reentry services, evidence-based practices, screening and assessments, and more.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Crisis Services: Meeting Needs, Saving Lives

Shares national guidelines for behavioral health crisis care best practice toolkit from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and a 2020 technical assistance paper series focused on crisis services. Offers information to support mental health authorities, agency administrators, service providers, and other state and local leaders in the design, development, implementation, and quality improvement of behavioral health crisis systems. Details components of crisis services and best practices, along with tools for implementing and evaluating care that aligns with national guidelines. Addresses key issues related to crisis services, including homelessness, technology advances, substance use, legal issues, financing crisis care, diverse populations, children and adolescents, rural and frontier areas, and the role of law enforcement.

Date: 08/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Drug-Free Workplace Programs

Provides information on drug-free programs, drug testing, and other resources and training designed to address illegal substance use by federal employees and in federally regulated industries, such as the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NCRC), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD). Discusses policies, guidelines, and regulations to address substance misuse in workplaces.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Evidence-Based Practices Resource Center

Provides communities, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and others with a searchable resource center including reports, guides, toolkits, and other resources to implement evidence-based practices for mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD). Focuses on opioid use disorder (OUD) and other SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery options.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Faith and Community Engagement

Provides information to support partnerships between faith-based and community organizations and federal programs to offer effective programs and activities for substance use prevention, mental health services, and addiction treatment. Offers resources for training, technical assistance, publications, and existing faith-based coalitions and collaborations focused on decreasing violence, combating substance use, improving behavioral health, reducing homelessness, and providing crisis counseling to those in need.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Grant Awards by State

Interactive map that can be sorted by fiscal year (FY) and state to show formula and discretionary funding amounts and detailed summaries for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grants.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Homelessness Programs and Resources

Offers a collection of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs and resources designed to prevent and end homelessness among men, women, youth, and families with mental illness or substance use disorder (SUD). Includes grant programs and services as well as publications, videos, and webinars on behavioral health treatment, employment assistance, housing/shelter programs, case management, trauma, as well as links to help individuals find immediate help and treatment.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Medications for Substance Use Disorders

Provides an overview of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD), as well as information on opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Describes current federal regulations and requirements for practitioners to prescribe MOUD. Includes information and training resources for healthcare providers, researchers, and patients.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Office of Recovery

Serves as a national clearinghouse for recovery-oriented care to address substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders. Promotes collaboration across key sectors to more effectively integrate recovery into systems of care, increase recovery services, and reduce barriers to recovery for underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Opioid Overdose Reversal Medications (OORM)

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.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA School and Campus Health Programs

Offers information and resources on challenges faced by children and youth, such as those related to bullying, mental health, substance use, and violence. Highlights several Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) programs for educators and parents, including Project AWARE, Trauma-Informed Services in Schools (TISS), and the campaign "Talk. They Hear You."

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Strategic Plan: Fiscal Year 2023-2026

Presents the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 4-year strategic plan detailing the agency's guiding principles, priorities, goals, and objectives to address behavioral health needs in the U.S. Focuses on 5 key areas: preventing substance use and overdose; access to suicide prevention and mental health services; promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families; integrating behavioral and physical healthcare; and strengthening behavioral health workforce. Emphasizes behavioral health equity for underserved and/or historically marginalized populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Tribal Affairs and Policy

Provides an overview of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Office of Tribal Affairs and Policy (OTAP) that seeks to address behavioral health issues facing American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Details programs, policy and advisory resources, and supports to promote self-sufficiency, prevent and treat substance use disorder (SUD), offer recovery and support services, reduce violence and suicide rates, and increase access to behavioral health services.

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Workforce Programs

Provides an overview of Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) efforts to increase the supply of trained, culturally aware behavioral health professionals, including psychiatrists, therapists, addiction counselors, homeless outreach specialists, recovery coaches, and other professionals in fields related to prevention, healthcare, and social services. Includes links to programs and resources to help address workforce shortages and provide culturally competent care to individuals with mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD).

Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Summary of VA Substance Use Treatment Options

Provides an overview of treatment options for veterans experiencing substance use issues. Includes information on different therapies, medications to reduce opioid and other substance use, intensive outpatient treatment, residential care, continuing care and relapse prevention, self-help groups, and more.

Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Tailoring Crisis Response and Pre-Arrest Diversion Models for Rural Communities

Outlines strategies, technologies, and successful models rural communities can adapt to support crisis response and pre-arrest diversion for individuals with mental health and substance use issues in their communities.

Date: 06/2019
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Teens Linked to Care (TLC)

Details a school-centered pilot project that examined implementing strategies to prevent youth substance use 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.

Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
TIP 64: Incorporating Peer Support Into Substance Use Disorder Treatment Services

Shares evidence-based guidance on how to integrate peer support services (PSS) into substance use disorder (SUD) treatment programs and services. Describes PSS for people with substance related issues, the role and functions of peer recovery workers, and other topics related to incorporating PSS into SUD treatment. Includes specific considerations related to providing peer support in rural areas.

Date: 06/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
TIP 65: Counseling Approaches to Promote Recovery from Problematic Substance Use and Related Issues

Provides guidance on evidence-based counseling approaches to help individuals achieve and maintain recovery from substance misuse and substance use disorders (SUDs). Supports licensed counselors and other providers, including non-specialists, nurses, interns, administrators, clinical supervisors, peer specialists, and other staff, seeking to adopt or expand a recovery-oriented framework in their programs. Offers information and resources on how to implement recovery programs and counseling approaches to prevent recurrence, sustain recovery, and promote harm reduction and healthy lifestyles for those in recovery. Includes strategies, resources, and examples focused on providing services in rural settings.

Date: 11/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
TLC: Teens Linked to Care Toolkit

Serves as a planning resource for schools and stakeholders interested in implementing the Teens Linked to Care (TLC) program, an integrated prevention strategy to address both substance use and risky sexual behavior in youth living in rural communities. Outlines the 4 phases of the TLC program, and shares tools and other resources to help schools support sexual health and substance use education and policies.

Date: 03/2023
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts: Case Management

Provides guidance to Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts (THWCs) on effective case management practices and the functions of case management in THWC operations. Offers case management models; resources; and information related to ethics, balancing roles, and data collection and evaluation to assist THWCs in developing or revising the role of case managers in their courts.

Date: 05/2018
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts: Intergovernmental Collaboration

Discusses common elements of intergovernmental collaboration, including tribal-state collaborations, intended to assist Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts (THWCs) interested in utilizing collaboration to enhance their court operations. Provides a brief history THWCs, profiles of current collaborations that can serve as models, and shares resources to help new and existing THWCs meet the needs of their communities.

Date: 05/2021
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Urban–Rural Differences in Drug Overdose Death Rates, 2020

Describes differences in rates of drug overdose deaths in 2020 between rural and urban counties by sex, race and Hispanic origin, and selected types of opioids and stimulants.

Date: 07/2022
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
VA Center for Medication Safety (VA MedSAFE)

Provides instructions for the safe disposal of unwanted and unneeded medications to prevent substance misuse and accidental poisonings. Includes safety tips to keep drugs away from children and pets, ensure proper medication storage, and proper medication disposal. Takes back unused and expired medications and publishes bulletins and alerts with recent news related to medication safety.

Sponsor: VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services
VA PBM: Academic Detailing Services (ADS) - Educational Materials

Provides access to education materials developed by the VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services (PBM) Academic Detailing Services (ADS) sharing 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 disorder (SUD), pain, suicide, dementia, depression, HIV, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.

Sponsor: VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services
VA Rural Health Enterprise-Wide Initiatives

Describes the enterprise-wide initiatives currently supported by the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) Office of Rural Health. Shares the work of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs' (VA) national programs to provide healthcare services in VA hospitals and health systems to veterans residing in rural areas across the nation. Outlines programs to address primary care, specialty care, mental health, care coordination, workforce training and education, transportation, and more. Includes virtual training for providers on substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery, as well as a pharmacy-based program to increase access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for rural veterans with opioid use disorder.

Sponsor: VHA Office of Rural Health (ORH)
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Substance Use Disorder (SUD)

Offers evidence-based information, recommendations, guides, and tools for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. 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), 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.

Date: 2021
Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Use Opioids in the Management of Chronic Pain

Offers evidence-based information, recommendations, guides, and tools to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) healthcare providers and patients to assist in the decision making process to improve the health and treatment of patients with chronic pain. Includes information and algorithms for determining the appropriateness, risks, duration, and frequency of opioid therapy to prioritize safe and effective opioid prescribing practices.

Date: 2022
Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
What is "Ending the HIV Epidemic: A Plan for America"?

Provides an overview of a 10-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative, that started in fiscal year (FY) 2020, to end the HIV epidemic in America. Highlights how the initiative was developed, lists its target goals, and discusses the plan focusing on 57 priority jurisdictions, including 7 states with high rates of rural HIV diagnoses, where more than 50% of new HIV diagnoses occurred in 2016 and 2017. Includes key strategies, data, and tools utilized by the initiative.

Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
Young Children Who Are Exposed Prenatally to Substances and Their Families

Provides information for state and local early intervention systems regarding the prevalence of infants and toddlers prenatally exposed to substances, and resources and supports needed to promote positive outcomes for these infants and their families. Shares links to key research, policy, guidance and state examples, and evidence-based practices for supporting young children exposed prenatally to substances and their families.

Sponsor: Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)