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Substance Use Prevention and Treatment Initiative
Substance use disorders and the harms associated with these diseases are a serious, growing public health problem in the United States. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that drug overdose deaths increased over 20% in 2021, to total more than 100,000. Three-quarters of these deaths involved opioids.

Project Goal

Expand access to effective treatment for substance use disorders, including increased use of Food and Drug Administration-approved medications and behavioral health therapies.

A nurse fills bottles with small amounts of liquid methadone for take-home prescriptions at a clinic in the Community Health Center in Akron, Ohio, Dec. 18, 2017.
A nurse fills bottles with small amounts of liquid methadone for take-home prescriptions at a clinic in the Community Health Center in Akron, Ohio, Dec. 18, 2017.

Methadone Is an Effective Treatment for OUD

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Despite decades of research establishing methadone as a safe and effective treatment for opioid use disorder, opioid treatment programs (OTPs) remain the only health care facilities allowed to offer this medication.

Doctor consulting with patient
Doctor consulting with patient
Fact Sheet

Medications for OUD Improve Patient Outcomes

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Fact Sheet

Medications for OUD Improve Patient Outcomes

In 2018, opioid overdoses in the United States caused one death every 11 minutes, resulting in nearly 47,000 fatalities. The most effective treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) are three medications approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA): methadone, buprenorphine, and naltrexone.

SUPTI
SUPTI

Policy Priorities to Address Opioid Use Disorder

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Individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD) struggle to get effective care: Of 2 million Americans with the illness, only 26% receive treatment. Now, as the coronavirus pandemic presents an added strain on the U.S. health care system, it is creating greater hardships for those seeking OUD treatment.

Jump Off Rock, Laurel Park Highway, Laurel Park, North Carolina, Sunset
Jump Off Rock, Laurel Park Highway, Laurel Park, North Carolina, Sunset

Local Initiatives Address Opioid Use Disorder

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Opioid-related overdose deaths and related harms continue to devastate communities across the country, and local resources—including emergency medical services, law enforcement, and health care providers—are under immense strain to respond.

Our Work

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

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America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

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America’s Opioid Crisis: Outpatient Treatment is Effective and Accessible
SUPTI
Video

Outpatient Treatment is Effective and Accessible

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Outpatient Treatment is Effective and Accessible

More than 2 million Americans suffer from opioid use disorder, but only about 25% of people receive any sort of care. For many, inpatient treatment often means leaving a job and loved ones behind to seek recovery.

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Medication-Assisted Treatment

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Video

Opioid use disorder is a complex brain disease, but it is often still viewed as a moral failing. This stigma can keep people from accessing care for their disease, including medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which combines Food and Drug Administration-approved medications with behavioral therapies. Watch how MAT can help people manage their disease, a critical step in reducing the risk of overdose and improving health.