The Center for Health and Justice at the Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities (TASC) is an organization that works at the intersection of criminal justice and behavioral health policy with a special emphasis on diversion, reentry, and promoting evidence-based strategies. 

This paper investigates the challenges of addressing opioid use disorder in rural areas and gives five suggestions on how rural states and communities can use evidence based approaches to offer better solutions to individuals seeking treatment for opioid use disorder. These suggestions outline ways to connect clinicians with patients, expand access to treatment, and increase inclusivity of special populations. Examples of programs that have been implemented in the state of Maine are provided. 

This is an academic paper which discusses a new model for integrating primary care into opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment. The clinical champions model emphasizes the role of primary care physicians and how through their prescription of OUD medication, outcomes for individuals with OUD can improve. 

This is a report from the California Health Care Foundation that explores the four components that California health plans have used to decrease opioid prescribing: engaging providers, working with high-risk members, addressing misuse, and supporting healthy communities.

Several specific health plans in California that significantly reduced opioid prescribing are highlighted within this document.

This is a website from the Health In Justice Action Lab that addresses many myths surrounding the opioid crisis that increase stigma, such as fentanyl exposure by first responders, misunderstandings of medications for opioid use disorder, and misinformed push back to harm reduction strategies, as well as an emphasize on the language we use to describe the opioid crisis.  

This report was generated through a legislative mandate by linking multiple data sets in Massachusetts. The aim was to better understand the opioid problem and those at most risk.

The prevalence of opioid use disorder, as well as nonfatal and fatal overdoses, are estimated and at-risk populations are identified. The results of this report are able to inform policy and stimulate research. 

This is a report from the National Child Traumatic Stress Network that explores the relationship between childhood exposure to traumatic events and a variety of substance use-related behaviors as well as the impact of the opioid crisis on children and families. Recommendations related to prevention and treatment are made and resources are provided. 

This is a report from the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) that describes the housing models available for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) who experience housing instability or homelessness. Several implemented models are highlighted within this document.

This is an academic paper which evaluates the clinical impact and cost effectiveness of current hospital-based strategies that address the U.S opioid epidemic. The findings concluded that, by increasing prescriptions for medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and implementing addiction consult services, hospitals can increase life expectancy for these patients in a cost-effective manner. 

This is a report from the Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts that highlights several programs that strengthen the continuum of care for pregnant and parenting women so they have uninterrupted access to opioid use disorder treatment as well as the support they need to sustain their recovery and build healthy families.

This report details recommendations for the US government on how to optimize mandatory and discretionary spending on opioid related population health outcomes. The author's recommendations fall under the four categories of mandatory spending, discretionary spending, data and metrics, and governance. 

This is an academic paper that discusses the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on treatment of opioid use disorder among Indigenous people and how services tailored to this vulnerable population have adapted.