Opioids

In October 2022, Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services (DHS), in conjunction with the state’s department of justice (DOJ) and the Office of Governor Tony Ever announced the launch of the Real Talks campaign to help address the rise in substance use in the state. In recent years, much like the rest of the country, Wisconsin has seen a sizable increase in opioid-related deaths. In fact, between 2018 and 2020, the number of opioid-related deaths increased by 46.7 percent. In addition, alcohol misuse continues to be a problem. Data from DHS indicates that adults in the state rank third in the United States for alcohol use. Real Talks Wisconsin is part of a series of DHS programs aimed at preventing and reducing substance use or abuse within the state. Real Talks discusses community prevention programs and encourages harm reduction programs, such as free access to emergency opioid antagonists....

Withdrawal syndrome occurs in individuals who have developed physiological dependence on a substance and who discontinue or reduce their use of it. Individuals who use drugs or alcohol prior to incarceration may experience the onset of withdrawal syndrome while in a correctional setting. This fact sheet discusses the management of withdrawal symptoms of individuals in the corrections system....

There are a number of expert recommendations regarding how to identify, work with, and treat pregnant and postpartum individuals with SUD to ensure the best outcomes for both parent and child. There are also legal requirements regarding notification to state child welfare agencies of infants born affected by prenatal substance exposure or experiencing withdrawal and the creation of family care plans (also known as plans of safe care). This fact sheet provides readers with an overview of those recommendations and requirements.intervention....

Through the use of medications for addiction treatment (MAT), an individual’s substance use, withdrawal symptoms, and the physiological and psychological cravings can be controlled, enabling the person to begin treatment while in a correctional facility and be released as a person in, or on his or her way to, recovery. Research shows that that the use of MAT for Opioid Use Disorder in correctional settings is a cost-effective and life-saving intervention....

Kratom is an herb that is derived from a leafy Southeast Asian tree, known formally as Mitragyna speciosa. It contains two psychoactive compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, which can produce a pharmacological response that is similar to that produced by morphine. Federal regulators and kratom organizations are at odds about the potential dangers (or lack thereof) of kratom and how kratom should be regulated. In addition to federal regulatory battles, some state and local governments have implemented regulatory controls on kratom. ...

Recovery residences provide a sober, safe, and healthy living environment that promotes recovery from alcohol and other drug use and associated problems. These residences are commonly referred to by a number of names, including sober living houses, sober living environments, and recovery homes, and their primary purpose is to provide a home-like environment for individuals in recovery from substance use disorder to help sustain that recovery....

The COVID-19 pandemic created an unprecedented public health emergency throughout the world, prompting providers to turn to telehealth to provide necessary health care to patients at a distance. This paper analyzes the current state of telehealth services at the federal and state levels, as well as the benefits and limitations of telehealth technology use. It also offers public policy recommendations to improve telehealth services in the United States....