Public Health

Mobile Outreach Vans

July 15, 2020 | Fact Sheets, Public Health, Public Safety, Recovery, Substance Misuse

With hard to reach populations, one of the most effective engagement strategies is through community outreach. By meeting individuals where they are, community outreach programs can gain their trust and that of the community and provide people with health care, social services, and harm reduction assistance. One popular method of community outreach is through mobile outreach vehicles (MOVs) which usually consist of large vans, trailers, or campers that are customized to provide health care and harm reduction services in targeted communities. A large benefit over brick and mortar clinics is the fact that MOVs are ambulatory and can travel to those who most need services. Additionally, one MOV can service multiple neighborhoods and can travel to targeted areas in the community as drug use patterns emerge. This fact sheet provides information about mobile outreach vans and the services that they provide to at-risk communities....

The Opioid Crisis and the Black/African American Population: An Urgent Issue

May 14, 2020 | Controlled Substances, Opioids, Public Health, Reports & Studies, Substance Misuse

This report from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Office of Behavioral Equity aims to convey the devestating impact the opioid crisis in having on African Americans....

Covid-19 and the Changes to Policies and Guidelines for Treating Substance Use Disorder

April 15, 2020 | Fact Sheets, Opioids, Public Health, Recovery, Substance Misuse, Treatments

This fact sheet reviews COVID-19’s impact on American drug policy and how individuals with SUD were able to receive treatment and services in light of social distancing....

HOPE Initiative

March 24, 2020 | Criminal Justice, First Responders, Innovative Initiatives, Law Enforcement, Opioids, Public Health, Public Safety, Recovery, Substance Misuse, Treatments

The HOPE Initiative provides a daylong training program on substance use disorders, treatment, and recovery for state and local law enforcement officers, enabling them to help people obtain and sustain long-term recovery. All 39 Rhode Island law enforcement agencies have completed the training...

Adverse Childhood Experiences and the Benefits of Trauma-informed Care

February 26, 2020 | Controlled Substances, Fact Sheets, Public Health, Recovery, Substance Misuse, Treatments

This fact sheet provides information about Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and the benefits of trauma informed care....

Rural Community Action Guide

February 11, 2020 | Controlled Substances, Opioids, Public Health, Reports & Studies, Substance Misuse

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)’s Rural Community Action Guide helps communities address the problem of drug and opioid use in rural communities. ...

2020 ONDCP National Drug Control Strategy

February 7, 2020 | Controlled Substances, Criminal Justice, Opioids, Public Health, Public Safety, Reports & Studies, Substance Misuse

The White House Office of National Drug Control Policy has released this year's National Drug Control Strategy, which outlines efforts to reduce illicit drug use and its consequences in the United States....

Prevalence of Recovery Homes, and Selected States’ Investigations and Oversight

November 12, 2019 | Public Health, Recovery, Reports & Studies

This statement describes (1) what is known about the prevalence of recovery homes across the United States; and (2) investigations and actions selected states have undertaken to oversee such homes. It is largely based on GAO’s March 2018 report (GAO-18-315). For that report, GAO reviewed national and state data, among other things, and interviewed officials from the Department of Health and Human Services, national associations, and five states—Florida, Massachusetts, Ohio, Texas, and Utah. GAO selected these states based on their rates of opioid overdose deaths, their rates of dependence or abuse of alcohol and other drugs, and other criteria....