This is an academic paper that summarizes over one hundred community plans to address the opioid crisis in the United States and Canada. These were found in both the peer-review and grey literature. According to this paper, most community opioid-related plans were provincially/state-funded, public health-led efforts that involved an average of seven partners, with law enforcement, healthcare, and public health sectors commonly represented in partnerships.
- About
About
The Brandeis Opioid Resource Connector serves community stakeholders working to combat the opioid epidemic. It is a product of the Brandeis Opioid Policy Research Collaborative.
- Program Models
Program Models
The heart of the Brandeis Opioid Resource Connector is our curated list of Program Models that address the many aspects of the opioid crisis.
- Community Response
Community Response
Successful responses to the opioid crisis involve coordination among agencies and stakeholders within a community, ensuring that essential interventions across the continuum of care are implemented with available resources.
- Data and Mapping
Data and Mapping
Understanding the numbers behind the opioid epidemic, and demonstrating how it affects a community, are critical steps in determining what approaches should be prioritized, and in informing local efforts.
- Additional Resources
Additional Resources
This section contains links to a curated list of external resources related to actionable responses to the opioid crisis.
- Prevention
Prevention
An important step in countering the opioid crisis is to prevent new cases.
Prevention often includes providing treatment providers, educators, parents, and potential substance users with the knowledge and skills they need to prevent harmful behaviors.
- Treatment
Treatment
Research indicates that comprehensive, effective treatment for opioid use disorder increases one’s chances of wellness.
There is a range of evidence-based approaches from FDA-approved medications to cognitive-behavioral interventions to mutual aid groups. Treatment planning should be tailored to the individual.
- Recovery
Recovery
We know that opioid use disorder can be a chronic condition and recurrence is common. Recovery is the process by which people sustain wellness by focusing on improving one’s health, sense of purpose, and connection with community.
- Harm Reduction
Harm Reduction
Harm reduction aims to reduce the adverse health, economic, and social consequences of substance use. Effective harm reduction approaches are designed to be practical, feasible, and safe.
