This paper explores the reasons that nonmedical prescription opioid misuse is higher in rural areas compared with urban areas. The authors hypothesize that reasons are related to increased sales of prescription opioids in rural areas, out-migration of upwardly mobile young adults, tighter social…

This is a website that provides a link to a report on criminal justice and law enforcement approaches to the opioid crisis. Examples of legal strategies, supply interdictions, educational interventions, and surveillance techniques are discussed. 

This is an academic paper aiming to prove the efficacy of using peer support specialists (PSS) in the emergency department (ED) to increase buprenorphine treatment. The use of PSS to facilitate more ED- initiated buprenorphine treatment by identifying appropriate candidates through screening is…

This report describes strategies adopted by state Medicaid programs in using data to address aspects of the opioid crisis, such as identifying outlier clinicians for opioid prescribing and patients with problematic opioid related behavior. The report describes specific programs implemented in…

This report is a part of SAMHSA's Evidence-Based Resource Guide Series. It promotes policies and practices to lower the risk of overdose for persons with opioid use disorder who are or have been in contact with criminal justice systems with a focus on medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD…

This is a report from SAMHSA that examines emerging and best practices for initiating medications for opioid use disorder in emergency departments. It also reviews the existing literature and science of the topic, identifies gaps in knowledge, highlights successful program models, and discusses…

This is an academic paper that gives a balanced policy analysis of the impact of the decriminalization of illicit drug use in Portugal. A wide array of outcomes are assessed in this drug policy reform. 

This is a white paper from the National Governors Association that discusses the history of how states have used emergency powers to provide governors with new avenues to enhance capabilities, coordination, and collaboration across state and local agencies. Guidance is provided to state…

This is a presentation the describes what fentanyl test strips are, how they might be effective in overdose prevention, discusses legal barriers, and highlights successful pilot programs in distributing fentanyl test strips. 

This is a report from the Pew Charitable Trusts that describes patient review and restriction (PRR) programs that encourage the safe use of opioids. There is an emphasis on how providers and health plans work together to implement PRR programs, and several of these programs are highlighted in…

This is a report from the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) that explores how telehealth can be used to support behavioral health and substance use disorders, with a particular focus on implications for medications for opioid use disorders. The report will help…

This issue brief from the Office of Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE) identifies barriers to implementing buprenorphine prescribing via telehealth and makes suggestions on how to overcome these barriers. An overview of reimbursement by payors and additional links to…

This is an academic paper that provides commentary on leveraging telehealth in rural areas to increase the capacity of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in an underserved area. Current evidence for telehealth-delivered MOUD, promising program models, and regulatory issues are discussed…

This is an academic paper that examines the variation in opioid overdose responses among first responders in California. Through surveys with emergency medical services (EMS) directors, protocols, data collection, linkage to treatment, and naloxone distribution were described. 

This is a report from the Government Accountability Office that identifies and compares overall prevalence and differences in urban and rural areas for: the number of veterans with substance use disorder (SUD), the expenditures for veterans receiving SUD services, and availability of specialty…

This is an academic paper that describes the state's modified hub-and-spoke model to build organizational capacity for facilities to use buprenorphine to treat patients with opioid use disorder and to provide ongoing case consultation. Preliminary results after implementation are provided,…

This is a perspective academic paper by medical providers on the intersection of the opioid crisis and the coronavirus pandemic, with a focus on buprenorphine prescribing and sustainability of opioid research. 

This is a White House report outlining the Biden-Harris Administrations's policy and strategy plan for combatting the overdose epidemic. The report focuses on two driving forces of the epidemic which are identified as untreated addiction and drug trafficking profits. The information given…

This is a report from the Chicago Urban League that focuses on areas where blacks are been disproportionately affected by the opioid crisis, with a special emphasis on Chicago. A public health response, and how this is different than the policy response of the War on Drugs, is discussed as well…

This is a report from SAMHSA that looks at the role of language in perpetuating stigma for substance use disorders, followed by tips for assessing when and how stigmatizing language is being used and steps for ensuring that the language we use and messages we deliver are positive, productive,…