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 detailed presentation from Dr. Joseph Liberto of the Veterans Affairs (VA) Maryland Health Care System that gives the epidemiology of opioid use and opioid use disorder (OUD) among veterans, provides guidance on how to assess veterans for OUD, and highlights VA initiatives to address the opioid crisis. 

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 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 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 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.

This brief from the State Health Access Data Assistance Center examines the United States opioid crisis, analyzing trends in overdose deaths from heroin and other opioids, such as prescription painkillers. Using vital statistics data, it also looks at differences in opioid deaths by age, sex, race/ethnicity and urbanization.