All posts by Lacy Adams

TECHNICAL BRIEF: CENSUS OF OPIOID TREATMENT PROGRAMS

Image December 5, 2022 Lacy Adams

In order to capture current patient census data for people being treated for opioid use disorder in OTPs, the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) in partnership with the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD), developed a census survey of all patients enrolled in treatment as of January 1, 2021, in Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration (SAMHSA) certified OTPs in the United States (U.S.). The project was supported by the SAMHSA-funded Opioid Response Network (ORN).

The purpose of the survey was to determine the number of patients receiving medications for opioid use disorders (MOUD) in OTPs, the types of federally approved medications being used by patients in treatment, and the specific formulations of medication used among the patient population.

This is the first time that such information is being made available to federal and state agencies that have jurisdiction in this area in addition to the general public.

At the time of the census, 1,826 OTPs were listed in the SAMHSA OTP directory. A total of 1,547 OTPs across the country completed the census survey, reflecting an 85% response rate. The full report indicates the medication breakdown for 512,224 patients. Of the 512,224 patients in OTPs who reported using MOUDs, 476,763 reported using methadone, 33,473 reported buprenorphine, and the remaining 1,988 reported using naltrexone. In addition to the most common MOUDs being used, the census captured formulation data from 510,557 patients including the most common formulation types, the number of patients using each formulation, and regional differences between formulation use.

Through this census, NASADAD and AATOD have captured crucial and actionable data to better understand treatment demand and demand for specific medications in OTPs. This report lays important groundwork to examine future demand and service issues in OTPs.

Download (PDF, 3.1MB)

Contact:

Melanie Whitter
Deputy Executive Director and Director, Research and Program Applications
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors, Inc.
mwhitter@nasadad.org
(202) 292-4873

Mark W. Parrino
President
American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD)
mark.parrino@aatod.org
(212) 566-5555 Ext: 200

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Reauthorization of the State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant Program

Image December 1, 2022 Lacy Adams

The State Opioid Response (SOR) grant program, housed within the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHSA), is a federal grant program designed to address the “opioid overdose crisis by providing resources to states and territories for increasing access to FDA-approved medications for the treatment of opioid use disorder (MOUD), and for supporting the continuum of prevention, harm reduction, treatment, and recovery support services for opioid use disorder (OUD) and other concurrent substance use disorders (SAMHSA, 2022).”

The National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors (NASADAD) serves as the voice of State alcohol and drug agencies in Washington, D.C. NASADAD’s members are the State Single Agencies (SSAs) responsible for applying, receiving, and distributing SOR funds to programs and providers. The SOR grant program is currently up for reauthorization. As a result, NASADAD has developed an overview of key provisions in legislation in the the House of Representatives and Senate to reauthorize the program.

For more information about how States are using SOR funds, please visit the IMPACT OF STATE TARGETED RESPONSE & STATE OPIOID RESPONSE GRANTS.

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This fact sheet is a “living document” and will continue to be updated as legislation progresses through Congress. Please reach out to Lacy Adams (Ladams@nasadad.org) with any questions.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About President Joe Biden’s Proclamation to Pardon Simple Marijuana Offenses

Image November 9, 2022 Lacy Adams

On October 6, 2022, President Joe Biden issued A Proclamation on Granting Pardon for the Offense of Simple Possession of Marijuana. The Proclamation set in motion a pathway to pardon all individuals with simple possession of marijuana offenses in violation of the Controlled Substances Act (U.S.C.844) or in violation of D.C. Code 48–904.01(d)(1). In response, NASADAD developed a fact sheet for State alcohol and drug agencies, Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About President Joe Biden’s Proclamation to Pardon Simple Marijuana Offenses, that explores answers to common questions around the timeline for pardons, what does receiving a presidential pardon entail, who does this proclamation apply to, and more.

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State Models for Addressing Opioid Use Disorders: Recovery Support in Integrated Care Settings – Brief and Webinar

Image October 25, 2022 Lacy Adams

Join the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors and the Center of Excellence for Integrated Health Solutions (CoE-IHS) for a webinar on State Integrated Models: Hub and Spoke and Bridge Models, on Thursday, October 27, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. ET as we explore two states models that integrate recovery support services. Experts from the States of California and Tennessee will present their innovative CA Bridge Program and Tennessee Hub and Spoke Model. Read more about these integration approaches in our new issue brief, State Models for Addressing Opioid Use Disorders: Recovery Support in Integrated Care Settings.

Data indicates that nearly 75% of the nation’s 91,799 drug overdose deaths involved synthetic opioids, a shift that is consistent with trends indicating a worsening drug overdose epidemic. As the epidemic evolves, states have sought more effective solutions to reduce and treat opioid use disorders (OUD) and prevent overdose.

Integrated care models offer an effective solution; a research-based approach to manage chronic conditions like OUD, enhancing access to care and ensuring clients receive individualized services. OUD is a chronic relapsing condition that necessitates integrated forms of health and social service provisions to improve continuity of care.

Registration is available here.

Download (PDF, 1.92MB)

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NASADAD Recognizes National Recovery Month

Image September 6, 2022 Lacy Adams

Substance use disorders affect all communities nationwide, with commitment and support, those impacted can embark on a journey of improved health and overall wellness. The focus of Recovery Month each September is to celebrate all people that make the journey of recovery possible by embracing the tagline, “Recovery is For Everyone: Every Person, Every Family, Every Community.” Recovery Month spreads the message that people can and do recover every day.

The impact of substance use disorders is apparent in States, and more than 100,000 died of a drug overdose in the 12-month period ending in March 2022. Through Recovery Month, people become more aware and able to recognize the signs of substance use disorders and co-occurring diseases and encourage people in need of recovery services to seek help. Managing the effects of these conditions helps individuals achieve healthy lifestyles, both physically, and emotionally. The Recovery Month observance continues to work to improve the lives of those affected by substance use disorders by raising awareness and educating communities about the effective services that are available.

NASADAD’s members serve as the lead agency in each State or jurisdiction responsible for managing federal funds dedicated to addressing substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery. This month, our Members wear purple to celebrate recovery and promote awareness of substance use disorder issues. NASADAD is grateful for the work all of our members do in their States and jurisdictions to support recovery every day of the year.

SAMHSA Events

September 7, 2022 – Recovery Rally Happens, Sacramento, CA

September 13, 2022 – National Opioid and Substance Awareness Day (NOSAD)

September 14, 2022 – Recovery Policy Scholars Visit SAMHSA

September 16, 2022 – National Recovery Agenda Preview and Panel Discussion

September 16, 2022 – Mobilize Recovery Bus Tour Across America

September 30, 2022 – Young Adults in Recovery – Making Small Choices, Every Day

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International Overdose Awareness Day

Image August 31, 2022 Lacy Adams

August 31 marks International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) each year. IOAD is the world’s largest annual campaign to remember those we’ve lost to overdose, acknowledge the grief of the family and friends left behind, and renew our commitment to end overdose and related harms. The campaign spreads the message about the tragedy of drug overdose death and that drug overdose is preventable. The goals of IOAD are:

To provide an opportunity for people to publicly mourn loved ones.
To send a strong message to people who use drugs and people in recovery that they are valued.
To inform people around the world about the risk of drug overdose.
To provide basic information on the range of support services that are available.
To prevent and reduce drug-related harm by supporting evidence-based practice.

The White House

On August 26, President Joseph Biden issued A Proclamation on Overdose Awareness Week, 2022 recognizing August 28-September 3, 2022, as Overdose Awareness Week. In the Proclamation, he calls upon “citizens, Government agencies, civil society organizations, healthcare providers, and research institutions to raise awareness of substance use disorder to combat stigmatization, to promote treatment and celebrate recovery, and to strengthen our collective efforts to prevent overdose deaths.”

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

CAPT Jeffrey A. Coady, Psy.D., ABPP, Acting Director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) and SAMHSA Region 5 Administrator recognizes IOAD with a new blog post on Preventing Overdose and Death. In the post, Dr. Coady reiterates SAMHSA/CSAP’s commitment to “prevention strategies to prevent or delay the use and misuse of substances, as well as efforts to support States and communities to develop comprehensive prevention programs to educate the public about the dangers of sharing medications, raises awareness among pharmaceutical and medical communities on the risks of overprescribing, and implements overdose death prevention strategies, such as naloxone distribution and the purchase of naloxone for first responders.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Division of Overdose Prevention in the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control is marking IOAD with the release of two new articles, showing the latest trends on drug overdose in the United States.

A new Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) analyzes emergency medical services (EMS) data and highlights trends in nonfatal opioid-involved overdoses. This report identifies disparities in overdose rates by patient and county characteristics and provides strategies on what can be done to decrease overdose.
An up-to-date CDC’s State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS) COVID-19 data brief describes overarching COVID-19-related themes that may have contributed to increased overdose deaths during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the identified themes, this brief gives examples of prevention approaches that can be used in future public health emergencies to help reduce overdose deaths.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently released the FDA Overdose Prevention Framework. According to the FDA, there are four priorities designed to complement the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Overdose Prevention Strategy and ONDCP’s National Drug Control Strategy. The four priorities within the FDA Overdose Prevention Framework are:

Supporting primary prevention by eliminating unnecessary initial prescription drug exposure and inappropriate prolonged prescribing.
Encouraging harm reduction through innovation and education.
Advancing development of evidence-based treatments for substance use disorders.
Protecting the public from unapproved, diverted, or counterfeit drugs presenting overdose risks.

To view the Framework, click here. To view FDA’s web page regarding overdose please visit Overdose Prevention.

NASADAD recognizes and thanks all of our Members for their dedication and commitment to reducing overdoses in their State.

For more information about IOAD, visit https://www.overdoseday.com/.

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The Landscape of Alcohol Use in the U.S.

Image August 24, 2022 Lacy Adams

Alcohol use is one of the leading public health concerns for State alcohol and drug agencies in the United States. In 2020, the National Survey on Drug Use and Health reported that 50% (or 138.5 million people) of all people drank alcohol in the last month. Adults aged 26 and older made up the age with the highest reported use (54.6% or 119.2 million), followed by people aged 18-25 years old (51.5% or 17.2 million), and then adolescents aged 12 to 17 years old (8.2% or 2.1 million people).

State alcohol and drug agency leaders are working to address this challenge through initiatives related to prevention, treatment, and recovery. State Directors provide leadership by promoting standards of care, evidence-based services, and continuous quality improvement innovations. State Directors also ensure public dollars are dedicated to programs that work through performance data management and reporting, contract monitoring, corrective action planning, on site-reviews, and technical assistance.

This fact sheet dives into the current landscape of alcohol use, emergency room/motor vehicle accidents, impact of COVID-19, benefits of prevention, benefits of treatment and recovery, and key federal programs related to alcohol.