News & Updates — Webinar

As drug overdose fatalities continue to rise, state policymakers are navigating changes on multiple fronts in substance use policy, such as new federal rules and expansions in service delivery and harm reduction, increases in federal grants and Medicaid options, and new funding resulting from legal settlements. As we look forward this year, states have an array of policy options and levers to improve access to prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery services.

With FORE support, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) established the State Policy Center for Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Access, which has helped states implement policies to expand access to OUD treatment. They have been highlighting and informing OUD/SUD policies across states, with a particular focus on strategies for administering opioid response funds and engaging state executive branch officials on OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery policy. In addition, the RAND Corporation has been investigating changes in treatment access during the COVID-19 pandemic, exploring how the observed changes relate to different state policies, and helping to inform decisions about whether to continue or adapt COVID-era policies intended to preserve access to treatment.

Please join us on Wednesday, March 13th at 3pm EST as we welcome…

• Chinazo Cunningham, MD, Commissioner
  New York State Office of Addiction Services and Supports (OASAS)
• Douglas Huntsinger, Executive Director for Drug Prevention, Treatment, & Enforcement
  Chairman of the Indiana Commission to Combat Substance Use Disorder
• Katie Greene, Project Director, Public Health
  Grantee: National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP)
  Project: Supporting State Policy in Responding to the Opioid Crisis
• Bradley Stein, MD, PhD, Director of the Opioid Policy, Tools, and Information Center (OPTIC)
  Grantee: RAND Corporation
  Project: Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Role of State Policy Changes

… as they discuss areas of opportunity for states to address the opioid and overdose crisis in the coming year and their potential impact.

The webinar will run until 4:30pm to allow for an extended discussion and Q&A session following the presentation.

Register for the Webinar Here

This webinar follows our previous webinar in January focused on Federal Policy and Regulatory Opportunities to Address the Opioid and Overdose Crisis in 2024. We invite you to look at our Resources page where you can view a recording of our previous webinars. As always, please reach out with questions and/or resources that you believe would benefits others.