Resources: Treatment

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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) Detailed Tables

Shares 2023 survey data from interviews with people aged 12 and older regarding substance use, mental health, and treatment in the U.S. Features a variety of demographic, socioeconomic, and geographic statistics, including rural and urban county type. Covers a range of substances including prescription and illicit drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other nicotine products, several mental health conditions, and more.

Resource Type: Data
Date: 07/2024
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 2022
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network (ATTC)

Consists of a network of 10 regional centers, a central coordinating office, a National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, and a National American Indian and Alaska Native ATTC working in addiction treatment and recovery services. Promotes awareness and new and evidence-based practices and services for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD). Facilitates the adoption of new technology by addiction treatment and recovery service providers. Offers education, training, resources, and information for the behavioral healthcare workforce in rural areas.

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
American Indian and Alaska Native Behavioral Health Center of Excellence

Provides training and technical assistance to improve behavioral health services and systems for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Supports behavioral health professionals in their efforts to provide high quality, culturally responsive care to AI/AN individuals and families, and seeks to enhance behavioral healthcare and wellness in tribal communities through policy and infrastructure advocacy.

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 11/2020
Sponsor: HRSA Office of Women's Health (OWH)
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Challenges and Solutions for Disaster Behavioral Health in Rural and Remote Communities

Provides a review of relevant research focused on the delivery of behavioral healthcare in disaster response in rural and remote areas. Describes the unique needs and challenges of providing behavioral health services to rural and isolated communities as a part of the wider response to natural or man-made disasters. Discusses different approaches to address behavioral health needs after a disaster or crisis, covering the areas of government and policy, community initiatives, and telebehavioral health.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 03/2023
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
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 weekly. 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.

Resource Type: Data
Date: 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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Cross-Sector Collaboration Between Law Enforcement, Courts, Child Welfare, and Schools to Address the Impact of Substance Use Disorders on Children and Families in the United States

Provides information to law enforcement, courts, child welfare agencies, and schools on how they can create cross-sector collaborations to reduce the harmful effects of substance use on children and families. Includes 8 strategies for cross-sector collaboration and provides examples of successful collaboration projects. Considers factors related to addressing substance use in rural communities.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Deflection and Pre-Arrest Diversion: Supporting Rural Communities

Provides information and guidance to rural communities on establishing deflection and pre-arrest diversion (DPAD) programs. Promotes the use of DPAD to reduce criminal justice system involvement for people who use drugs and those with substance use disorders and help link them to evidence-based treatment services. Describes challenges to implementing DPAD programs in rural areas and offers strategies and resources to address these barriers. Includes example projects from 2 rural communities.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 10/2021
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 07/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 08/2023
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 2023
Sponsors: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Evaluation of the Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model

Evaluates 7 states participating in CMS's Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model, which is designed to support delivery system transformation for pregnant and postpartum people enrolled in Medicaid who have opioid use disorder (OUD). Provides an overview of program activities for implementation year 2 from July 2022 to June 2023, including adoption, implementation, reach, and sustainability of the model, as well as the model's outcomes and effectiveness. Discusses barriers and other factors affecting care in rural areas.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Evaluation of Using Telehealth for Opioid Use Disorders in a Correctional Setting

Provides an evaluation of a comprehensive behavioral health treatment approach taken by 1 rural county jail in Massachusetts utilizing telehealth for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Offers results, findings, and lessons learned from Franklin County Sheriff's Office's experience providing all 3 federally approved medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and counseling through telehealth to individuals in the jail during the pandemic.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsor: National Institute of Justice (NIJ)
Evidence-Based Whole-Person Care for Pregnant People Who Have Opioid Use Disorder

Outlines evidence-based practices to help obstetrician-gynecologists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, certified midwives, specialists, and other providers take a more active role in supporting the health of pregnant people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their infant children. Offers information on screening and assessment for OUD, initiating and maintaining pharmacotherapy to treat OUD, providing whole person care, prioritizing health equity for underserved populations, and barriers to care, including those faced by pregnant people living in rural areas.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 03/2024
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Family Treatment Courts Training and Technical Assistance Program (FTC TTA Program)

Provides training and technical assistance to states, tribes, and local jurisdictions to develop, enhance, and sustain family treatment courts (FTCs). Offers a range of resources, publications, and web-based learning tools to help implement evidence-based practices, strengthen family treatment court operations, and achieve better outcomes for participants. Promotes the use FTCs to provide safe environments for children and address the needs of justice-involved parents with substance use disorder (SUD) through intensive judicial monitoring and interventions to treat SUD and other co-occurring risk factors.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
FindTreatment.gov

Directory of providers across the U.S. specializing in the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) and mental illness. Offers a search function to locate substance use and mental health facilities, healthcare centers, buprenorphine practitioners, and opioid treatment providers in or near a specific community. Provides information about treatment options, paying for treatment, and understanding mental health and addiction disorders in order to make it easier for individuals to identify and begin receiving appropriate treatment services.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
First Responder Deflection Mentoring Initiative

Offers an opportunity for first responder organizations operating deflection initiatives for people with substance use disorders (SUDs) to apply to become a mentor site to provide peer-to-peer mentoring to other first responder organizations interested in establishing or enhancing a deflection program. Promotes deflection as an innovative model to support individuals in the community with opioid, stimulant, and other SUDs, mental health and/or co-occurring disorders while avoiding involvement with the justice system.

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Fletcher Group Rural Center of Excellence (RCOE)

Provides technical assistance to help establish and expand recovery housing services and evidence-based treatment and prevention programs in over 100 counties highly impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho.

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Great Lakes Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (Great Lakes ROTA-RC)

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. Develops culturally and linguistically appropriate, evidence-based training and best practices on harm reduction, prevention, treatment, and recovery. Offers technical assistance to address substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health to strengthen rural communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Helping Rural Communities Thrive: How Federal Leaders Can Transform Federal Assistance to Support Rural Justice Practitioners

Discusses results of the Rural Justice Survey, which documents the priorities of rural communities related to criminal justice and public safety and the challenges these communities face in accessing federal funding to address these issues. Offers recommendations to make federal funding, technical assistance, and training programs more available and relevant to rural stakeholders, including justice and public safety practitioners, healthcare providers, public health officials, treatment providers, victim advocates, and others. Highlights needs and interventions in areas such as behavioral health, substance use, crisis intervention, supportive services, and others.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 06/2023
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
HHS Roadmap for Behavioral Health Integration

Describes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's approach to promoting the integration of behavioral healthcare into larger healthcare and social systems. Discusses key barriers to fully integrating behavioral health services and highlights several programs and policies, including those targeting rural areas, that are designed to address these challenges and enhance access to integrated, equitable, and culturally appropriate behavioral healthcare across the U.S.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 09/2022
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
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. Providers who complete the MOUD training may receive priority consideration when applying to the NHSC Substance Use Disorder Workforce Loan Repayment Program or NHSC Rural Community Loan Repayment Program.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Bureau of Health Workforce (BHW)
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Indian Health Service (IHS)
IHS Youth Regional Treatment Centers (YRTC)

Operates 13 tribally and federally operated residential treatment facilities located across the U.S. to address substance use disorder (SUD) and/or co-occurring mental health disorders (COD) among American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth and their families at no cost. Provides a range of education and culture-based prevention initiatives, evidence-based and practice-based models of treatment, family strengthening and recreational activities designed to help AI/AN youth overcome challenges related to mental health and substance use. Promotes holistic, culturally responsive care that integrates clinical services with traditional healing, spiritual values, and cultural identification in a substance-free residential environment to support AI/AN youth in achieving their treatment goals and leading healthy, resilient lives.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsor: Indian Health Service (IHS)
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.

Resource Type: Video / Audio / Multimedia
Date: 08/2020
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Jail-Based Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Mentor Site Initiative

Offers jails with established medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs the opportunity to apply to become a mentor site to provide peer-to-peer mentoring to other jails interested in establishing or expanding MAT programs to better meet the needs of individuals in jail with substance use disorders (SUD).

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Maintaining Fidelity to ACT: Current Issues and Innovations in Implementation

Offers information on the principles of the assertive community treatment (ACT) model, which provides time-unlimited, community-based services for individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) who experience or are at risk for concurrent substance use, frequent hospitalization, homelessness, involvement with the criminal legal system, and psychiatric crises. Discusses current issues and challenges as well as strategies for successfully implementing ACT in communities. Describes examples of ACT implementation for specific underserved populations, including individuals with criminal justice involvement, people in rural areas, youth, older adults, and immigrants.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Medicaid Coverage of Medications to Reverse Opioid Overdose and Treat Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorder

Provides information on the availability of, and access to, medications for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD), and for reversing opioid overdoses within state Medicaid plans. Discusses policies and regulations affecting access to these medications and reviews the present coverage and availability of the medications to Medicaid beneficiaries in each state. Includes 5 innovative models for expanding medication access to underserved Medicaid populations, including those residing in rural areas, American Indian/Alaska Native communities, and individuals recently released from incarceration.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 01/2024
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
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 medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), substance use counseling, individual and group therapy, toxicology testing, intake activities, periodic assessments, and intensive outpatient services.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in Rural Jails Podcast Series

Podcast series featuring conversations with individuals currently involved with programs that provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and recovery support in rural jails. Each episode focuses on the unique role the speaker has in their respective MAT program, which includes a jail medical staff administrator, a peer specialist, a community-based medical provider, a MAT program coordinator, and a jail administrator. Offers experience and lessons learned from addressing common challenges to implementing MAT for individuals in jail with opioid use disorder.

Resource Type: Video / Audio / Multimedia
Date: 2023
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

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

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 06/2020
Sponsor: VA Pharmacy Benefits Management (PBM) Services
Midwest Community-University Networking Center for Behavioral Health

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Midwest region of the U.S. Develops training, best practices, and provides technical assistance related to opioids, stimulants, prevention, treatment, and recovery. Supports rural communities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
National Adolescent Treatment Court (NATC) Dashboard

Offers a national overview of data on adolescent treatment courts in the U.S. and a map-based court locator tool that allows users to search for adolescent treatment court programs in each state. Includes the location, contact information, and key program details for each treatment court.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
National Resource Directory

Provides a directory of national, state, and local programs and services to support recovery, rehabilitation and community reintegration for military service members, veterans, their families, and caregivers. Helps connect individuals to a range of services and resources, including substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and recovery support.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsors: U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Opioid Response Network (ORN)

Provides free training, education, and technical assistance to increase access for communities to evidence-based practices for opioid use disorder (OUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Connects community members with local consultants and technology specialists who are qualified to implement evidence-based practices.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
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.

Resource Type: Website
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, drug checking, 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).

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Indian Health Service (IHS)
Opioid Use Disorder: Rural Policy Brief

Provides a brief overview of the issue of opioid overdoses in rural areas and offers public health policy and strategy options to help communities prevent and reduce rural opioid overdose deaths. Includes case studies describing interventions implemented in 3 states.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 09/2023
Sponsors: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 11/2023
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH)

Offers a range of essential behavioral health and housing services and supports through approximately 450 local PATH provider organizations working to reduce or eliminate homelessness for individuals diagnosed with serious mental illness (SMI) and/or co-occurring substance use disorders (COD) who are currently experiencing homelessness or are at risk of becoming homeless. Focuses on providing services that are not well supported by mainstream mental health programs and aims to serve areas with the greatest need, including underserved populations and communities.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Providers Clinical Support System - Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (PCSS-MOUD)

Offers healthcare professionals evidence-based training, education, and resources to treat patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Provides free medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) training for physicians, physician assistants (PA), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), medical students, and other healthcare professionals. Training is available in on-demand, online, or in-person formats.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Providing Employment Services to Individuals in Recovery

Describes the Addiction Recovery Care (ARC) program, which combines residential treatment of substance use disorders with employment services for individuals in Kentucky, with a focus on rural, Appalachian communities with high rates of opioid use. Discusses the program structure, implementation, target populations, and services provided, including medications for opioid use disorder, recovery services, and employment and job training programs. Offers lessons learned and recommendations for implementing similar programs.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 05/2024
Sponsor: ACF Office of Planning, Research & Evaluation
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.

Resource Type: Video / Audio / Multimedia
Date: 11/2023
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Reaching Recovery in Rural and Tribal Areas

Podcast episode featuring the county prosecutor of rural Navajo County in northeast Arizona discussing efforts to provide substance use disorder treatment and recovery services to individuals in the county jail. Transcript available below description.

Resource Type: Video / Audio / Multimedia
Date: 09/2023
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
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.

Resource Type: Map / Chart
Date: 09/2022
Sponsor: Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA)
Resilient Engaged Active Community Health (REACH)

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) offering training and technical assistance to address substance use disorder (SUD) and mental health, including prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. Supports rural communities in Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 02/2019
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
Rural Communities Opioids Response Program Technical Assistance Evaluation

Evaluates the technical assistance (TA) provided to grantees in FORHP's Rural Communities Opioids Response Program (RCORP) from March 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. Provides reports, briefs, and data on various types of RCORP TA, such as site visits, learning collaboratives, peer-to-peer calls, office hours, and more. Offers feedback and lessons learned from RCORP grantees on strategies and approaches to help rural communities address opioid misuse and opioid use disorders (OUD).

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 02/2024
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 01/2020
Sponsor: USDA Rural Development (USDA RD)
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.

Resource Type: Website
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).

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 01/2018
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural Healthy People 2030

Provides literature reviews on rural health priorities identified in the Rural Healthy People 2030 survey. Includes chapters on the issues of addiction, rural substance misuse, mental health and mental disorders, chronic pain, and more. Seeks to inform rural policymakers, providers, advocates, and other stakeholders to promote the health of people living in rural communities.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 2023
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.

Resource Type: Website
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
Rural SUD Info Center

Provides a clearinghouse of information, best practices, tools, events, and research to support comprehensive approaches to prevention, treatment, recovery, and policy to address substance use disorder (SUD) in rural communities nationwide.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
SAMHSA Buprenorphine Practitioner Locator

Directory of healthcare practitioners authorized to provide buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
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.

Resource Type: Data
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, enhance reentry services, evidence-based practices, screening and assessments, and more.

Resource Type: Website
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.

Resource Type: Website
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Find Help

Directory of behavioral health treatment locator tools, hotlines for suicide prevention, treatment referral services, assistance for veterans in crisis, and more. Includes links to resources and services related to substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery; mental illness; medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD); harm reduction; opioid overdose; crisis care; and suicide prevention.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
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.

Resource Type: Website
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Directory

Directory of certified opioid treatment programs available in each state that treat addiction and dependence on opioids, such as heroin and prescription pain relievers.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) Programs

Assists with the provision of comprehensive and integrated substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and early intervention services for those with or at risk of developing SUD. Provides information on reimbursement coding for screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) services and related resources.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 08/2023
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).

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
SAMHSA's National Helpline

Offers a free and confidential information service, also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service, that can provide referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations for individuals and family members looking for help with mental health and/or substance use disorder (SUD). Call 1-800-662-4375 or TTY at 1-800-487-4889 or text your ZIP code to 435748 to get help. Service is available in English and Spanish 24 hours a day, 7 a week, 365 days a year.

Resource Type: Hotline
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Screening and Treatment for Maternal Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders (MMHSUD)

Offers services, education, resources, and other opportunities to help healthcare providers identify and address mental health concerns and substance use disorders (SUD) in women during and after pregnancy.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsor: Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)
Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) Mapping Workshops

Offers a training opportunity to local jurisdictions seeking to implement the Sequential Intercept Model (SIM) mapping process to address the needs of adults with mental and substance use disorders (SUDs) who are involved or at risk for involvement in the criminal justice system. Brings together cross-system, multidisciplinary teams from local criminal justice and behavioral health agencies and organizations to develop integrated strategic community action plans to identify individuals with behavioral health needs and divert them out of the criminal justice system and into appropriate community-based treatment programs.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Southeast Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-RC)

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Southeast region of the U.S. Develops training and provides technical assistance to address opioid and stimulant use in rural communities. Supports rural communities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Specifying Monitoring and Evaluation Measures for Local Overdose Prevention and Response Strategies: A Toolkit

Provides information and resources for local health departments and community organizations implementing or expanding overdose prevention and response strategies at the local level. Offers guidance in developing practical measurement strategies to monitor progress, demonstrate accountability, and assess the outcomes and impact of grant-funded overdose initiatives. Includes examples from programs implemented in rural counties.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 2024
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
Teens Linked to Care (TLC): Strategies to Prevent Substance Misuse

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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
TIP 33: Treatment for Stimulant Use Disorders

Provides evidence-based guidance related to the treatment of stimulant use disorders and related problems associated with the use of cocaine, methamphetamine, and the misuse of prescribed stimulants. Offers information and recommendations to support behavioral health service providers and other substance use disorder (SUD) providers with treatment approaches, strategies, engagement, retention, and more. Details the challenges and barriers to providing treatment in rural areas.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 10/2021
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 03/2023
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Treatment Court Institute

Provides training and technical assistance to treatment courts to enhance the capacity, knowledge, and skills of treatment court programs to effectively deliver services to justice-involved youth impacted by substance use and create safer and healthier communities. Offers resources, materials, and programming to support treatment courts in implementing best practices, building recovery capital, and other support services for youth offenders and their families dealing with issues related to substance use.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Population Estimates — United States, 2022

Estimates and characterizes the U.S. adult populations who need opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment, receive any OUD treatment, and receive medications for OUD, using data from the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Includes data comparing adults living in metropolitan areas with those in micropolitan or noncore statistical areas.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 06/2024
Sponsor: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Tribal Healing to Wellness Courts

Provides training and technical assistance to help tribal jurisdictions develop new or strengthen existing healing to wellness courts. Offers up-to-date resources on effective, evidence-based strategies to address alcohol and substance use issues among justice-involved juveniles and adults in tribal areas using a treatment court model that incorporates culturally appropriate services, trauma-informed approaches, and traditional healing practices.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 05/2021
Sponsor: Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)
Tribal Youth Resource Center

Provides training and technical assistance to Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) tribal grantees and federally recognized tribes to improve juvenile justice systems, with the goal of reducing crime, recidivism, and victimization, and increasing positive outcomes for Native youth. Builds tribal capacity to develop and implement community-led, culturally based approaches to youth prevention and intervention, enhancement of tribal court systems, trauma-informed care, and other efforts to address issues affecting Native youth, such as poverty, addiction, suicide, violence, and gang activity.

Resource Type: Training
Sponsor: Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP)
University of Rochester Medicine Recovery Center of Excellence (UR Medicine RCOE)

Offers technical assistance and information resources to help rural communities identify and implement evidence-based practices to reduce negative outcomes related to substance use disorder (SUD), including the use of synthetic opioids. Provides assistance to communities nationwide while partnering with 20 specific high-need Appalachian counties in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia to combat the opioid crisis.

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
University of Vermont Center on Rural Addiction (UVM CORA)

Supports capacity building efforts for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) in rural counties of Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire disproportionately affected by SUD. Utilizes innovative technology and telehealth strategies to identify real-time needs in communities, disseminate education and resources on evidence-based approaches, and provide ongoing training and technical assistance to providers in order to more effectively address the needs of individuals and special populations with SUD and related issues.

Resource Type: Technical Assistance
Sponsor: Federal Office of Rural Health Policy (FORHP)
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.

Resource Type: Website
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.

Resource Type: Website
Sponsor: VHA Office of Rural Health (ORH)
VA Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Program Locator

Directory of substance use disorder (SUD) programs available from U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers.

Resource Type: Treatment Provision
Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)
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.

Resource Type: Document / Report
Date: 2021
Sponsor: Veterans Health Administration (VHA)