Resources: Policy
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.
Provides training and technical assistance to improve behavioral health services and systems for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities. Supports behavioral health professionals in their efforts to provide high quality, culturally responsive care to AI/AN individuals and families, and seeks to enhance behavioral healthcare and wellness in tribal communities through policy and infrastructure advocacy.
Identifies and describes the following 7 drug policy priorities for the first year of the Biden-Harris Administration: expanding access to evidence-based treatment; advancing racial equity issues in drug policy; enhancing evidenced-based harm reduction efforts; supporting evidence-based prevention efforts to reduce youth substance use; reducing the supply of illicit substances; advancing recovery-ready workplaces and increasing the addiction workforce; and expanding access to recovery support services. Outlines next steps for the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) to coordinate with other federal agencies to address drug policy priorities.
Provides a review of relevant research focused on the delivery of behavioral healthcare in disaster response in rural and remote areas. Describes the unique needs and challenges of providing behavioral health services to rural and isolated communities as a part of the wider response to natural or man-made disasters. Discusses different approaches to address behavioral health needs after a disaster or crisis, covering the areas of government and policy, community initiatives, and telebehavioral health.
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.
Summarizes key focus areas, needs, and recommendations of underrepresented rural and tribal law enforcement leaders in 5 states that were the result of a series of listening sessions with federal agencies. Includes topics such as substance use, mental health, and homelessness; illicit drugs; trafficking from the southern border; relationships with tribes; and funding, among others. Provides individual state summaries and U.S. Department of Justice resources to support local efforts to enhance public safety and reduce crime in rural and tribal areas.
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 an overview of a 10-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative, starting in fiscal year 2020, to reduce new HIV infections in the U.S by 90% by 2030. Outlines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) role in the initiative and strategies for working with national, state, and local partners in efforts to diagnose, treat, and prevent new HIV infections, and respond to potential HIV outbreaks. Includes information on funding for the initiative, priority jurisdictions, including 7 states with substantial rural burden, local plans focused on ending the HIV epidemic, success stories, and resources for partners and grantees.
Describes the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's approach to promoting the integration of behavioral healthcare into larger healthcare and social systems. Discusses key barriers to fully integrating behavioral health services and highlights several programs and policies, including those targeting rural areas, that are designed to address these challenges and enhance access to integrated, equitable, and culturally appropriate behavioral healthcare across the U.S.
Provides an overview of Indian Health Service's (IHS) Office of Clinical and Preventive Services (OCPS) which is responsible for developing and managing clinical, preventive, and public health programs for IHS that cover a wide range of services, including alcohol and substance use and other behavioral health programs. Serves as an advocate for Native American health issues at the national level. Sets policy and budget priorities for IHS Area Offices and health facilities. Offers technical support to local clinical and preventive health programs.
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 medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), substance use counseling, individual and group therapy, toxicology testing, intake activities, periodic assessments, and intensive outpatient services.
Provides a brief overview of the issue of opioid overdoses in rural areas and offers public health policy and strategy options to help communities prevent and reduce rural opioid overdose deaths. Includes case studies describing interventions implemented in 3 states.
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.
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.
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 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.
Serves as a national clearinghouse for recovery-oriented care to address substance use, mental health, and co-occurring disorders. Promotes collaboration across key sectors to more effectively integrate recovery into systems of care, increase recovery services, and reduce barriers to recovery for underserved populations, including rural and tribal communities.
Presents the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) 4-year strategic plan detailing the agency's guiding principles, priorities, goals, and objectives to address behavioral health needs in the U.S. Focuses on 5 key areas: preventing substance use and overdose; access to suicide prevention and mental health services; promoting resilience and emotional health for children, youth, and families; integrating behavioral and physical healthcare; and strengthening behavioral health workforce. Emphasizes behavioral health equity for underserved and/or historically marginalized populations, including rural and tribal communities.
Provides an overview of a 10-year U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) initiative, that started in fiscal year (FY) 2020, to end the HIV epidemic in America. Highlights how the initiative was developed, lists its target goals, and discusses the plan focusing on 57 priority jurisdictions, including 7 states with high rates of rural HIV diagnoses, where more than 50% of new HIV diagnoses occurred in 2016 and 2017. Includes key strategies, data, and tools utilized by the initiative.