Resources: Opioids

Provides evidence-based information, guidance, clinical tools, training, and other resources on the safe and effective prescription of opioids to treat chronic pain in primary care and outpatient settings. Addresses patient-centered clinical practices, including accurate assessments, evaluation of treatment options, initiating opioid treatment and determining dosages, risk monitoring, safely ending opioid treatment, and health equity and disparities in the treatment of pain.

Reports on the implementation, activities, and outcomes of state opioid response (SOR) grantees using data collected in fiscal years 2020, 2021, and 2022. Includes accomplishments for all the states and territories and rural mentions throughout.

Outlines federal drug policy priorities and promotes short and long-term solutions to reduce drug use, overdose, supply, and other related harms in the U.S. Covers information and strategies to prevent youth substance use, expand access to medications for opioid use disorder and other evidence-based treatments, building recovery communities, and strengthening efforts to disrupt drug trafficking. Includes strategies to address substance use issues in rural, tribal, and other underserved communities.

Consists of a network of 10 regional centers, a central coordinating office, a National Hispanic and Latino ATTC, and a National American Indian and Alaska Native ATTC working in addiction treatment and recovery services. Promotes awareness and new and evidence-based practices and services for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD). Facilitates the adoption of new technology by addiction treatment and recovery service providers. Offers education, training, resources, and information for the behavioral healthcare workforce in rural areas.

Provides information and resources for healthcare and social service organization leaders and providers to improve care coordination and access to services for women with opioid use disorder (OUD) in programs supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), such as health centers, Rural Health Clinics (RHCs), Ryan White HIV/AIDS clinics, and home visiting programs, as well as in other care settings. Focuses on shifting the culture around addiction and treatment, engaging women with OUD in care, and creating and maintaining partnerships that support care coordination for women with OUD. Offers self-assessment tools and metrics to help users monitor and evaluate care coordination in their organizations.

Develops partnerships between the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and community and faith-based organizations. Provides up-to-date information on federal health and human service activities and resources to help local organizations better serve their communities. Focuses on supporting grassroots efforts to address the issues of mental health, the opioid crisis, childhood obesity, and reforming and strengthening healthcare systems.

Offers states information and advice regarding strategies to combat the opioid crisis using technology, as well as potential funding opportunities for these efforts. Discusses implementing prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) to track and facilitate the safe prescription of opioid medications and increasing data-driven approaches, interoperability, and telehealth services to improve care coordination among healthcare professionals.

Offers a dataset with information on Medicare-enrolled Opioid Treatment Program (OTP) providers that is updated monthly. Contains the name, National Provider Identifier (NPI), address, phone number, and the effective enrollment date for each provider. Includes resources for understanding and using the data.

Describes the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) activities to address the opioid epidemic related to prevention, treatment, and data. Highlights program successes, innovative approaches, and future goals of CMS efforts to address the opioid crisis.

Provides information to first responder agencies, communities, and other stakeholders to support practices and approaches for first responders to connect people to substance use treatment and other support services. Offers evidence-based strategies, public health approaches, resources, and program models, including best practices for responding to opioid overdoses. Considers potential challenges, such as those faced in rural areas, and other factors when implementing initiatives to support people who use drugs.

Summarizes key focus areas, needs, and recommendations of underrepresented rural and tribal law enforcement leaders in 9 states that were the result of a series of listening sessions with federal agencies. Includes topics such as substance use and addiction; mental health and medical care; illegal drug trafficking and related crime; school safety; and funding, among others. Describes ongoing federal responses to rural law enforcement concerns and highlights several best practices and new ideas to support local efforts to enhance public safety and reduce crime in rural and tribal areas.

Provides information to law enforcement, courts, child welfare agencies, and schools on how they can create cross-sector collaborations to reduce the harmful effects of substance use on children and families. Includes 8 strategies for cross-sector collaboration and provides examples of successful collaboration projects. Considers factors related to addressing substance use in rural communities.

Describes emergency department-based opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and intervention models and key features of emergency department-based OUD treatment models. Shares findings from 5 case studies of emergency department-based OUD treatment programs located throughout the U.S., including from an emergency department of a free-standing rural hospital in California.

Provides guidance and resources to help individuals and communities build and strengthen community coalitions with the ultimate goal of decreasing opioid overdose deaths. Includes insights from rural communities and rural considerations.

Evaluates 7 states participating in CMS's Maternal Opioid Misuse (MOM) Model, which is designed to support delivery system transformation for pregnant and postpartum people enrolled in Medicaid who have opioid use disorder (OUD). Provides an overview of program activities for implementation year 2 from June 2022 to July 2023, including adoption, implementation, reach, and sustainability of the model, as well as the model's outcomes and effectiveness. Discusses barriers and other factors affecting care in rural areas.

Outlines evidence-based practices to help obstetrician-gynecologists, primary care physicians, nurse practitioners, certified midwives, specialists, and other providers take a more active role in supporting the health of pregnant people with opioid use disorder (OUD) and their infant children. Offers information on screening and assessment for OUD, initiating and maintaining pharmacotherapy to treat OUD, providing whole person care, prioritizing health equity for underserved populations, and barriers to care, including those faced by pregnant people living in rural areas.

Describes the uses and dangers of fentanyl and carfentanil, which are both extremely potent synthetic opioids. Includes methods for reducing opioid use and overdoses, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT) and naloxone distribution.

Directory of providers across the U.S. specializing in the treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) and mental illness. Offers a search function to locate substance use and mental health facilities, healthcare centers, buprenorphine practitioners, and opioid treatment providers in or near a specific community. Provides information about treatment options, paying for treatment, and understanding mental health and addiction disorders in order to make it easier for individuals to identify and begin receiving appropriate treatment services.

Offers an opportunity for first responder organizations operating deflection initiatives for people with substance use disorders (SUDs) to apply to become a mentor site to provide peer-to-peer mentoring to other first responder organizations interested in establishing or enhancing a deflection program. Promotes deflection as an innovative model to support individuals in the community with opioid, stimulant, and other SUDs, mental health and/or co-occurring disorders while avoiding involvement with the justice system.

Provides technical assistance to help establish and expand recovery housing services and evidence-based treatment and prevention programs in over 100 counties highly impacted by substance use disorder (SUD) in Kentucky, Ohio, West Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho.

Offers information on topics to address opioid misuse in rural communities for which U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) funding is available. Includes funding for equipment, healthcare and other facilities, as well as other forms of support such as workforce development, strategic and community planning activities.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Great Lakes region of the U.S. Develops culturally and linguistically appropriate, evidence-based training and best practices on harm reduction, prevention, treatment, and recovery. Offers technical assistance to address opioid use disorder (OUD), mental health, stimulant use, and substance use disorder (SUD) to strengthen rural communities in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin.

Infographic highlighting areas where resources and programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) have worked to address prevention, treatment, and recovery from opioid use, as well as programs to help build upstream resilience and future prosperity in rural communities.

Provides information, resources, and eligibility criteria to obtain free training to provide medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for eligible clinicians working to address the opioid epidemic.

Outlines how the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) is addressing the opioid crisis and resources on expanding access to care, connecting resources, sharing best practices, training, and more.

Collaborates with tribal stakeholders across the U.S. to address issues related to the treatment of chronic pain and the use of heroin and prescription opioids among tribal populations. Works to promote appropriate and effective pain management, reduce opioid overdose deaths, and improve access to culturally appropriate substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services for American Indian and Alaska Native communities. Workgroup focus areas include prescriber support, treatment and recovery, harm reduction, program effectiveness metrics, technical assistance, and communications.

Provides comprehensive mental health services for American Indian and Alaska Native individuals and families. Offers community and clinical-based treatments and services, including mental health treatment and support for substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD).

Serves as a clearinghouse of resources to assist law enforcement agencies across the country in establishing a naloxone program to reduce the harm and number of deaths associated with opioid overdose. Offers information on a range of topics related to operating a naloxone program, including naloxone medication and its role in law enforcement; acquiring and administering naloxone; training law enforcement; liability and risk issues; and collaboration with other agencies and stakeholders. Provides a variety of tools and materials, such as sample documents and templates for data collection forms, training materials, press releases, community outreach materials, and more. Product of the Bureau of Justice Assistance's (BJA) National Training and Technical Assistance Center (NTTAC) funded by a contract through the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of Justice Programs (OJP).

Provides an overview of a 2017 pilot project to enhance the ability of local health departments (LHDs) to address opioid use and overdose in their communities by working more effectively with state and local partners and reduce the occurrence of fatal and non-fatal overdose. Summarizes project activities and goals and a brief introduction to the four pilot sites: Bell County, Kentucky; Hillsborough County, New Hampshire; Montgomery County, Ohio; and Boone County, West Virginia.

Interactive map providing broadband and health data at the national, state, and county levels. Includes maps with data on broadband, maternal health, chronic disease, opioids, and access to care. Allows users to filter data by rurality. Helps users explore the intersection of broadband and health to better inform policies, programs, innovation, and investment decisions.

Provides information on the availability of, and access to, medications for treating alcohol use disorder (AUD) and opioid use disorder (OUD), and for reversing opioid overdoses within state Medicaid plans. Discusses policies and regulations affecting access to these medications and reviews the present coverage and availability of the medications to Medicaid beneficiaries in each state. Includes 5 innovative models for expanding medication access to underserved Medicaid populations, including those residing in rural areas, American Indian/Alaska Native communities, and individuals recently released from incarceration.

Describes a benefit that covers opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment services under Medicare Part B medical insurance. Enables the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to make bundled payments to certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs) for OUD treatment services for an episode of care provided to Medicare Part B beneficiaries. Covers the following services under the benefit: opioid agonist and antagonist medication-assisted treatment (MAT) medications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), naloxone and overdose education, substance use counseling, individual and group therapy, toxicology testing, intake activities, and periodic assessments.

Provides information on methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone and how they are used to provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD). Covers the signs of an overdose and answers questions about each medication.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Midwest region of the U.S. Develops training, best practices, and provides technical assistance related to opioids, stimulants, prevention, treatment, and recovery. Supports rural communities in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Nebraska.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the mountain plains region of the U.S. Offers training and technical assistance to help address opioid and stimulant use, substance use disorder (SUD), mental health, and other behavioral health issues. Supports rural communities in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming.

Delivers information, resources, technical assistance, and training to K-12 schools and institutions of higher learning to assess school climate, implement evidence-based programs to improve learning conditions, and measure outcomes in 3 core areas: providing a well-rounded education, improving the safety and health of students, and improving the effective use of technology. Offers multiple products, policy guides, toolkits, research, media, online events and training related to issues of substance and opioid abuse for students, families, schools, and communities.

Shares the results of a survey of practitioners affiliated with Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grant sites throughout the U.S. to assess substance use disorder (SUD) stigma and treatment needs in rural areas. Includes various statistics on practitioner demographics, professional roles, work setting, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), stigma, and other practitioner beliefs and barriers.

Assists schools and school districts with the implementation of a Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework to improve students' social, emotional, and physical well-being, reducing disruptive behavior, and creating a positive learning environment. Uses a multi-tiered framework that reaches all students while allowing for more focused intervention and support for at-risk students and students with disabilities. Includes resources and blueprints for implementing school-wide responses to the opioid crisis and substance use. Offers direct onsite technical assistance to district and state leadership teams as well as indirect assistance through online resources, national and regional conferences, and collaborations with other technical assistance centers and organizations.

Shares a policy, effective September 23, 2019, whereby injured federal workers receiving workers' compensation that are newly prescribed opioids will be limited to an initial 7-day supply. Allows an injured worker to receive a maximum of 4 sequential 7-day supply prescriptions, an initial and 3 subsequent prescriptions, for a total of 28 days before prior authorization is required. For additional opioid prescriptions exceeding the initial 28-day period, the prescribing physician will need to submit a form certifying the medical necessity of continued opioid use for approval from the Office of Workers' Compensation Programs (OWCP).

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) providing training and technical assistance to address opioids, stimulants, and other substances impacting rural communities in New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in New England. Provides support, technical assistance, and naloxone training to address opioid use disorder (OUD), stimulant use, and opioid overdose throughout rural areas in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Northwest region of the U.S. Provides support, technical assistance, and training to address opioid use disorder (OUD) and stimulant use throughout rural areas in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, and Washington.

Provides tools, publications, and other resources for schools to provide services, support, and interventions to address opioid and substance misuse for students and their families. Includes information on substance use and related trauma among students. Discusses implementing positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) to improve school climate and reduce substance use.

Provides an overview of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Opioid Overdose Education & Naloxone Distribution (OEND) program. Focuses on reducing opioid overdoses and deaths among veterans through education and training for prevention, recognition, rescue response, and naloxone kit use. Includes OEND videos and materials for providers and patients.

Allows local organizations, providers, state and local health departments, and other stakeholders to add a free, customizable version of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) opioid overdose website to their own websites. Helps communities disseminate online, current CDC opioid information and resources, as well as training on the CDC guidelines for prescribing opioids for chronic pain.

Describes a 4-point strategic plan to protect injured federal workers covered under the Federal Employee's Compensation Act from the risk of opioid misuse and addiction. Includes details on these policy initiatives and their progress, information on any new policies, as well as a discussion of opioid facts and risk factors for opioid misuse, addiction, and overdose, and links to additional resources.

Provides free training, education, and technical assistance to increase access for communities to evidence-based practices for opioid use disorder (OUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery services. Connects community members with local consultants and technology specialists who are qualified to implement evidence-based practices.

Toolkit sharing field guidance, resources, and presentations to support clinical decisions about starting, continuing, or tapering opioid therapy, and other challenges related to safe opioid prescribing. Includes patient and provider education, clinical tools, and other resources.

Offers comprehensive information and resources on the use of prescription opioids, managing chronic pain, and opioid use disorder (OUD) for patients and providers, specifically for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities and Indian Health Service (IHS) providers. Includes online tools, technical assistance resources, guides, and training for patients and providers on topics such as opioid crisis data, opioid prevention, proper pain management, opioid prescribing/stewardship, culturally appropriate practices, maternal health, harm reduction, naloxone use, child health and wellness, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), tele-MAT, trauma-informed care, best practices, supportive services, wellness courts, and training opportunities. Resource is an initiative of the IHS Alcohol and Substance Abuse Branch (ASAB).

Provides guidance to policymakers, communities, and key stakeholders to develop and implement system- and practice-level changes to reduce opioid overdose deaths. Presents results from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Helping to End Addiction Long-term (HEAL) Initiative's HEALing Communities Study. Outlines priority populations and 19 evidence-based interventions to prevent and reduce opioid related overdose deaths. Offers resources on various topics related opioid overdose and highlights model programs, including those serving rural areas.

Provides guidance and resources to help communities, healthcare providers, and volunteers providing opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment and harm reduction and recovery services address opioid use in their communities. Include rural mentions throughout.

Interactive map providing state- and county-level data showing the rates of drug overdose deaths, including opioid deaths, in the U.S. Allows users to create maps illustrating connections between overdose deaths and selected demographic, economic, and behavioral health characteristics, including race/ethnicity, age, education, disability status, household income, poverty rates, unemployment rates, the number of mental health facilities per 100,000 population, and more.

Details the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services strategy to respond to drug overdoses and prevent overdose deaths across the U.S. Shares research, resources, and evidence-informed overdose interventions focused on 4 priority areas: primary prevention, harm reduction, evidence-based treatment, and recovery support. Offers strategies and resources designed to increase coordination among key stakeholders, reduce stigma, and expand access to healthcare and treatment for underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.

Shares information, resources, and tools organized around 7 strategies to help local and state health departments link people at risk of opioid overdose to care. Includes rural examples and discussion throughout.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Pacific Southwest region of the U.S. Shares training opportunities, shares information, and offers technical assistance to help rural communities address opioid and stimulant use throughout Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, and the Pacific jurisdictions.

Fact sheet detailing a 6-step planning process to help schools and institutions of higher education develop or update emergency operation plans (EOPs) to address potential threats and issues resulting from opioid misuse and abuse. Discusses the 5 mission areas of preparedness for opioid-related emergencies and the effects of the opioid crisis on school-aged children, young adults, and school safety. Includes links to additional resources and information to aid in the development of school EOPs, and programs and activities to address an opioid overdose.

Consists of a network of 10 regional resource centers, a central coordinating office, a National Hispanic and Latino PTTC, and a National American Indian and Alaska Native PTTC that work to support effective substance use prevention interventions. Develops and disseminates education, training, resources, and information to raise awareness and promote the implementation of evidence-based prevention practices. Facilitates the adoption of new technology by individuals and organizations working in the field of substance use prevention. PTTC focus areas include community coalitions and collaborators; health equity and inclusion; data-informed decisions; implementation science; cannabis prevention; and workforce development.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the south central region of the U.S. Develops training and offers technical assistance to address opioid and stimulant use in rural communities throughout Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.

Offers healthcare professionals evidence-based training, education, and resources to treat patients with opioid use disorder (OUD). Provides free medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) training for physicians, physician assistants (PA), advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), medical students, and other healthcare professionals. Training is available in on-demand, online, or in-person formats.

Features a 6-part video series highlighting Rural Communities Opioid Response Program (RCORP) grantees and their work to prevent and treat opioid use disorder (OUD) in their communities.

Interactive map providing county-level data describing community-level factors to support individuals in recovery from substance use disorder (SUD). Allows users to create maps illustrating connections between overdose deaths including opioid deaths, and selected demographic and economic factors.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) offering training and technical assistance to address substance use disorder (SUD), opioid use disorder (OUD), and stimulant use related to prevention, treatment, and recovery. Supports rural communities in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia.

Shares programs from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development (USDA RD) to address specific community needs related to substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid misuse prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts. Provides brief program summaries with information on program eligibility, as well as how the program may be used to confront issues of substance and opioid misuse in rural communities.

Evaluates the technical assistance (TA) provided to grantees in FORHP's Rural Communities Opioids Response Program (RCORP) from March 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023. Provides reports, briefs, and data on various types of RCORP TA, such as site visits, learning collaboratives, peer-to-peer calls, office hours, and more. Offers feedback and lessons learned from RCORP grantees on strategies and approaches to help rural communities address opioid misuse and opioid use disorders (OUD).

Provides an overview of the challenges facing communities seeking to address opioid misuse and substance use disorders in rural areas. Offers information and guidance from a wide range of experts and stakeholders to help rural leaders develop effective prevention, treatment, and recovery strategies to mitigate the impacts of substance use on rural populations. Highlights promising practices, lessons learned, and key resources to support community-led efforts to prevent and reduce substance use and build healthy communities.

Summarizes research describing the prevalence of opioid use in rural communities. Includes statistics on the perceived need and use of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD).

Summarizes research describing differences between rural and urban populations with opioid use disorder (OUD) including youth, young adults, and pregnant women. Includes statistics describing the impacts OUD has on both rural and urban emergency department visits.

Provides an overview of the opioid crisis in rural America and includes information and resources on initiatives and funding opportunities to address the crisis. Covers successful rural model program examples, events, and other tools for prevention, harm reduction, and treatment.

Video recording sharing highlights from a December 13-14, 2018 workshop in Knoxville, Tennessee attended by rural sheriffs and judges. Workshop hosted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Rural Development and the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) to brainstorm ideas and discuss new methods to address the opioid crisis.

Provides a clearinghouse of information, best practices, tools, events, and research to support comprehensive approaches to prevention, treatment, recovery, and policy to address substance use disorder (SUD) in rural communities nationwide.

Provides information and resources to help states and local communities building media campaigns to increase awareness and educate the public on the dangers of prescription opioids by sharing the stories of people impacted by them. Offers videos, radio spots, social media posts, signage, and online ads that cover opioid treatment and recovery, overdose prevention, and real life stories of addiction and loss due to prescription opioids.

Directory of healthcare practitioners authorized to provide buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the U.S. and U.S. territories.

Provides communities, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and others with a searchable resource center including reports, guides, toolkits, and other resources to implement evidence-based practices for mental illness and substance use disorder (SUD). Focuses on opioid use disorder (OUD) and other SUD prevention, treatment, and recovery options.

Directory of behavioral health treatment locator tools, hotlines for suicide prevention, treatment referral services, assistance for veterans in crisis, and more. Includes links to resources and services related to substance use disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment, and recovery; mental illness; medication-assisted treatment (MAT); treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD); harm reduction; opioid overdose; crisis care; and suicide prevention.

Provides an overview of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) and medications for alcohol use disorder (AUD), as well as information on opioid treatment programs (OTPs). Describes current federal regulations and requirements for practitioners to prescribe MOUD. Includes information and training resources for healthcare providers, researchers, and patients.

Directory of certified opioid treatment programs available in each state that treat addiction and dependence on opioids, such as heroin and prescription pain relievers.

Serves as a Rural Opioid Technical Assistance Regional Center (ROTA-R) in the Southeast region of the U.S. Develops training and provides technical to address opioid and stimulant use in rural communities. Supports rural communities in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Tennessee.

Provides an overview of treatment options for veterans experiencing substance use issues. Includes information on different therapies, medications to reduce opioid and other substance use, intensive outpatient treatment, residential care, continuing care and relapse prevention, self-help groups, and more.

Details a school-centered pilot project that examined implementing strategies to prevent youth substance use and risky sexual behaviors in high-risk rural communities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. Highlights efforts to address related issues of HIV, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), teen pregnancy, and high-risk substance use through education, primary prevention, and early detection screening. Program activities included implementing new health curricula, partnering with health departments and community drug-free coalitions, and developing and distributing informational products and video campaigns.

Serves as a planning resource for schools and stakeholders interested in implementing the Teens Linked to Care (TLC) program, an integrated prevention strategy to address both substance use and risky sexual behavior in youth living in rural communities. Outlines the 4 phases of the TLC program, and shares tools and other resources to help schools support sexual health and substance use education and policies.

Offers technical assistance and information resources to help rural communities identify and implement evidence-based practices to reduce negative outcomes related to substance use disorder (SUD), including the use of synthetic opioids. Provides assistance to communities nationwide while partnering with 20 specific high-need Appalachian counties in Kentucky, New York, Ohio, and West Virginia to combat the opioid crisis.

Supports capacity building efforts for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorder (SUD) in rural counties of Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire disproportionately affected by SUD. Utilizes innovative technology and telehealth strategies to identify real-time needs in communities, disseminate education and resources on evidence-based approaches, and provide ongoing training and technical assistance to providers in order to more effectively address the needs of individuals and special populations with SUD and related issues.

Provides data describing urban and rural differences in drug overdose death rates in the year 2020, using mortality data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS). Shows differences in rural and urban overdose death rates by sex, race and Hispanic origin, and selected types of opioids and stimulants.

Provides access to education materials developed by the VA Pharmacy Benefits Management Services (PBM) Academic Detailing Services (ADS) sharing evidence-based treatments to help providers improve the health of veterans. Offers provider and patient education tools and outreach resources to encourage evidence-based decision making for a variety of medical conditions and diseases, including opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorder (SUD), pain, suicide, dementia, depression, HIV, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and more.

Offers evidence-based information, recommendations, guides, and tools for U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) healthcare providers and patients to assist in the decision making process to improve the treatment and outcomes for patients with substance use disorder (SUD), including opioid use disorder (OUD), methamphetamine use, and co-occurring mental health conditions. Describes best practices to help patients avoid preventable complications, reduce substance use, and improve their overall health and wellness.

Offers evidence-based information, recommendations, guides, and tools to U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) healthcare providers and patients to assist in the decision making process to improve the health and treatment of patients with chronic pain. Includes information and algorithms for determining the appropriateness, risks, duration, and frequency of opioid therapy to prioritize safe and effective opioid prescribing practices.

Provides information for state and local early intervention systems regarding the prevalence of infants and toddlers prenatally exposed to substances, and resources and supports needed to promote positive outcomes for these infants and their families. Shares links to key research, policy, guidance and state examples, and evidence-based practices for supporting young children exposed prenatally to substances and their families.