This webinar was presented to address the problem of opioid addiction in the rural workforce, with 45% of rural adults saying they have been impacted by the opioid epidemic, and 74% of farmers and farmworkers saying they have been directly affected. It describes resources, promising practices, and grant opportunities available to rural workforce systems, employers, and business on supporting recovery efforts in the workplace.

This paper describes the Post Overdose Support Team (POST), a person-centered initiative led by Massachusetts harm reductionists in health and human services agencies in collaboration with municipal first responders. POST teams conduct home-based outreach with individuals who experienced an opioid-related overdose, providing a menu of services including naloxone rescue kits, overdose response and risk reduction planning, referral to treatment for substance use disorders including medication for opioid use disorder, and referral to recovery and family supports.

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 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 practical toolkit was created for faith-based and community leaders to help jump-start an action plan in a community or advance existing efforts to meet the needs of individuals and families struggling with opioid addiction. This toolkit, developed from the insight of faith and community partners, describes practical ways a community can consider bringing hope and healing to those in need.  

This report consists of four educational webcasts aimed towards educating healthcare professionals. These webcasts are focused on the stigma, discriminatory practices, and inaccurate perceptions present in dealing with individuals with substance use disorder and other similar conditions. They also emphasize the importance of acknowledging these issues in order to provide better quality recovery services. 

This is a comprehensive report that lays out the 56 recommendations made by the commission appointed by the Trump Administration to address the opioid crisis. After giving an overview of the opioid crisis and its wide-ranging impact, recommendations are made in the areas of federal funding, research, opioid addiction and overdose prevention, treatment, and recovery. 

This is an academic paper that analyzes stakeholder interviews to explore strategies to sustain time-limited opioid grants and determine barriers and facilitators. Financing and reimbursement, service integration, and workforce capacity were the most cited barriers, and status in state government structure, public support, and spending flexibility were noted as key facilitators. Strong partnerships were highlighted as essential components in strategies.  

This is a report from a convening of experts by the United Hospital Fund that describes in detail the ripple effect of the opioid crisis on families and communities. Recommendations are made to address the intergenerational and community-level impacts of opioid use disorder. Programs targeting these negative impacts are also highlighted in the report. 

This white paper aims to help shift the substance use disorders treatment field from an acute care model of treatment to a chronic care approach, known as recovery-oriented systems of care. Its purposes are twofold:

(1) To describe our understanding of the present state of recovery support services.

(2) To lay a framework for future activities and products that will support the continuing development of recovery support services. This includes accessible services that engage and retain people seeking recovery; a continuum of services rather than crisis-oriented care; care that is age-and gender-appropriate and culturally competent; and where possible, care in the person’s community and home using natural supports.

This publicly-available presentation from the Maine Rural Health Research Center (author John Gale) focuses on prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies that rural communities, particularly rural hospitals, can engage in to address the opioid crisis. Additionally, examples of existing programs for each strategy are discussed in the presentation.