Substance Use Disorder

The report provides key findings from the study assessing substance use and recovery stigma by healthcare workers, compared to non-healthcare workers. The stigma that is perceived by people who use drugs or are in recovery (PWUD/IR) was found to be a structural concern as a large population are opting out of going to the doctor, leaving them open to a variety of untreated illnesses.

This systematic review of peer-reviewed literature that held controlled trails which examined a pharmacological treatment for amphetamine/methamphetamine dependence or use disorder. The article found that most studies were underpowered and had low completion rates, with others showing that no pharmacotherapy produced results for the treatment of amphetamine/methamphetamine dependence.

The Housing Assistance Council's new Rural Resource Guide: Affordable Housing and Recovery in Rural Communities is an effort towards assisting local rural organizations with proper resources. While many across the U.S. are facing substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid misuse, housing is essential to addressing the epidemic. The guide is meant as a resource to housing practitioners looking to help provide homes to individuals affected by SUD.

Providers are essential partners in care and have a very important role in reducing the various types of stigmas experienced by those with or recovering from substance use disorder (SUD) and their families; becoming an ally is the first step. Allyship includes a set of beliefs, attitudes, and actions; we will explore a variety of steps that can lead to greater empathy and better outcomes for clients, families, and communities.

The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) is conducted annual and provides nationally representative data on the use of substances (tobacco, alcohol, and drugs), substance use disorders, those who received substance use treatment, and mental health issues and services. This survey is conducted by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration released a notice of proposed rulemaking that would allow certified opioid treatment programs to begin prescribing the drug via audio-only or video-enabled telehealth. See additional information under Policy Updates below. The proposed changes come on top of recent findings by HHS of the positive impact of its revised Practice Guidelines for the Administration of Buprenorphine for Treating Opioid Use Disorder that removed two longstanding requirements for obtaining a waiver to treat up to 30 patients with buprenorphine: 1) the requirement for specific training, and 2) the need for otherwise eligible clinicians to certify their ability to provide or refer patients for counseling and other services. Rural primary care providers have obtained the DEA waiver at a lower rate than urban clinicians; decreased burden and greater flexibility in the guidelines, along with broader use of telehealth could help close that gap.

The Community Engagement: An Essential Component of an Effective and Equitable Substance Use Prevention System guide was prepared for SAMHSA. The guide focuses on community engagement to bring together skills, knowledge, and experience which can help in evidence-based programs and policies.

This week, the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, through the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), announced proposed changes to the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records under 42 CFR part 2 (“Part 2”), which protects patient privacy and records concerning treatment related to substance use challenges from unauthorized disclosures.

To more effectively address known barriers to treatment for substance use disorder (SUD), policy researchers looked at feedback from 27 community-based programs serving predominantly people of color across the U.S. Beyond poverty and racism, providers describe challenges retaining staff with appropriate language and cultural skills as well as a complex patchwork of social skills. 

This webinar provided RCORP grantees with the tools to complete a disparities impact statement, to support efforts to address populations in rural communities that have historically suffered from poorer health outcomes and health inequities as a part of the prevention, treatment, and recovery of SUD/OUD.