This research brief examines relationships between indicators of economic opportunity and the prevalence of prescription opioids and substance use in the United States. It also explains that overall, areas with lower economic opportunities are disproportionately affected by the opioid crisis, but the extent of that relationship varies regionally.

This is an issue brief from SAMHSA that provides opioid data specific to the black population, discusses contextual factors that serve as challenges for this population, and makes recommendations on strategies to address the opioid crisis specific to blacks. Many innovative outreach and engagement programs are highlighted as well as the need for racial equity and justice. 

This is an issue brief from SAMHSA that highlights the impact of the opioid crisis on the Hispanic/Latinx community. In addition to epidemiology, contextual factors that create challenges for this population in accessing treatment and other services, the importance of including the Hispanic community in creating solutions, and innovative outreach and engagement strategies are discussed. 

This issue brief focuses on the opioid crisis in rural and small communities in the United States. It presents evidence on urban-rural differences in overdose mortality across geography and type of opioid. It also graphically shows states with rural populations that have the highest overdose death rates, identifies rural challenges and recommends strategies. 

This is an academic paper that provides a broad framework to better understand the multivariable and complex drivers of the opioid crisis that can lead to better informed interventions and policy solutions. The paper uses the socio-ecological model, which goes beyond the individual and looks at interpersonal, community, and societal influences. 

This is a white paper from Gallagher that serves as an educational document for employers to proactively address opioid misuse in the workplace, primarily through educating the workforce, enacting the right policies, and managing benefits. 

This is a report from the Opioid Response Network that discusses the importance of social determinants of health (SDOH) in the progression of opioid use disorder (OUD) and the role that SDOH are playing among those with OUD in the coronavirus pandemic. Recommendations are made targeting both individuals and organizations. 

This is a 2017 Congressional Research Service report describing which federal agencies are funding opioid-related programs.

This mapping tool provides a geographic view of opioid prescriptions and other indicators in the United States. This allows for a better comparison to be made between different states and counties and their respective rates of opioid prescriptions and opioid overdoses. 

This is an article in the Health Affairs Blog that summarizes national and state strategies to address the opioid crisis and describe further reforms needed to tailor these efforts to teens and young adults, mostly related to payment and delivery reform. 

This is a report from the National Congress of American Indians Policy Research Center targeting the impact of the opioid crisis on American Indians and Alaskan Natives (AI/AN). The complicated nature of the opioid crisis is discussed and potential solutions are made in this document. 

This report from Johns Hopkins contains specific, proven recommendations for how to most effectively combat the opioid crisis –from allowing physicians to more effectively treat those suffering from addiction; to expanding coverage and accessibility of opioid overdose reversal drugs like naloxone; to changing the way that health care professionals, employers, and advocates talk about addiction to reduce stigma.