This is a brief report from the Northern New England Poison Center that provides recommendations for handling fentanyl and its analogues out in the field. The risks to first responders are minimal, especially through skin absorption, and use of excessive protective equipment could delay patient…

This is a report from the Bloomberg American Health Initiative that discusses the methods and results of the FORECAST study, a comprehensive project to better understand drug checking technologies, such as fentanyl test strips, and how people who use drugs and organizations that serve this…

This is a brief report from the Legislative Analysis and Public Policy Association that explains how fentanyl test strips work, summarizes the evidence of their harm reduction benefits, and discusses the current challenges surrounding their legality. 

This is an academic paper that explored the real world use of fentanyl test strips (FTS). The study found that using FTS and receiving a positive test result was associated with changes in drug use behavior and perceptions of overdose safety.

This is an article from EMS World, a journal tailored to emergency medical service responders, that discusses the New Orleans Emergency Medical Services (NOEMS) response to the opioid crisis, which includes innovative data collection, active outreach, and collaboration with other stakeholders…

This is a report from the Deloitte Center for Government Insights that describes a ecological approach to addressing the opioid crisis. A portfolio of policies, multi-sector collaboration, innovation, and feasibility/sustainability are features of this approach. 

This report describes the shortage of licensed behavioral health care specialists and reviews relevant literature relevant to its causes and remedies. It recommends steps the federal government could undertake to address the shortage, including increased funding to support training of behavioral…

This academic paper reviews evidence on first responder programs that take an assertive approach to making linkages to treatment for those with substance use disorders. A number of effective linkage strategies are described that reduce the barriers to rapid access to treatment. 

This is an academic paper that evaluates a pilot that established a collaborative in rural Colorado to increase the prescribing of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) by nurse practitioners and physician assistants. Preliminary results suggest the pilot was successful in increasing…

This is a report from the National Governor's Association which outlines several recommendations on how the federal government can help state governments and local communities tackle the opioid crisis in the areas of prevention, treatment, and recovery. These include increasing federal funding…

This report published by the Rural Health Opioid Program tells the story of the ten RHOP grantees by highlighting their grant projects' achievements during the life of their grant. The report outlines each program's mission, community description, and project outcomes with each emphasizing…

This report highlights the burden of opioid use disorder (OUD) on rural communities and the problems related to accessibility amidst higher rates of socioeconomic vulnerability. Through the development of community based programs, the Rural Health Opioid Program outlines how through increasing…

This is a report from the National Academies that provides guidance to help direct funding and action toward a robust, well-functioning treatment system to address opioid use disorder. To address the treatment "ecosystem", authors highlight the 4 C's: capacity, competency, consistency, and…

This is a manual created by the Harm Reduction Coalition that is designed to outline the process of developing and managing an Overdose Prevention and Education Program (OPEP), with or without a take-home naloxone component. It offers practical…

This is a report from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other collaborating organizations that is designed to assist in responding to HIV among injecting drug users globally by expanding syringe service programs (SSP). How to start a new SSP, scale up existing SSP, and vital settings where…

This report from the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association provides hospitals with clinical and operational recommendations for developing policies and procedures for administering and/or prescribing medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in hospital emergency departments or…

This is an issue brief from several collaborating agencies that offers statistics on opioid misuse and overdose deaths in rural Appalachian communities. Strategies and resources to address opioid issues are highlighted within this document. In addition, the brief covers recommendations to assist…

This is a report from Grantmakers in Aging that is broken into two major sections. The first section looks at the crisis arising from opioids in rural communities and, in particular, the damage it is causing in the lives of many older people and families. The second section turns toward…

This is a report developed by the Human Services Information Technology Advisory Group (HSITAG) that explores the relationship between homelessness and opioid use disorder (OUD). Current policies and funding targeting this population are discussed, and a more informed, comprehensive picture of…

This was a presentation done at the Rx Summit that describes how faith leaders and their community members are currently responding to the opioid epidemic as well as how community stakeholders can partner with faith-based organizations. Two faith-based initiatives in West Virginia and Ohio are…