This is a report outlining a four pronged strategy for overdose prevention with the goal of strengthening prevention efforts and increasing access to the full continuum of care and services for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). The four target areas in this strategy are primary…

This is an academic paper that provides a review on what is known about the links between suicide and overdoses, with a focus on pathways through opioid use, issues of intent, risk factors, prevention strategies, and unresolved issues. Untreated and undertreated pain leading to suicide is also…

This is a report from the National Academy of Social Insurance that provides employers and insurers with a better understanding of the relationships among workers' compensation programs, opioids, and workplace overdoses. Stakeholders can use this information to improve the safety of workplaces…

This report is a useful resource for individuals caring for someone with mental illness or substance use disorder, and explains how to navigate federal law protections that ensure quality health insurance coverage for these and related conditions. It gives the tools and information necessary for…

This study explores community perspectives on harm reduction approaches to opioid use and overdose in a high-risk Northern Appalachian community in Pennsylvania. A variety of conflicting perspectives are described, highlighting the challenges small communities face in creating comprehensive…

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…