Evidence-Based Interventions to Address the Opioid Epidemic

24 Strategies for State, County and City Implementation

Read the Full Report

Addiction Policy Forum’s report, Evidence-Based Interventions to Address the Opioid Epidemic, features 24 evidence-based strategies and programs that state, county, and local policymakers can implement to combat the opioid crisis. The report highlights strategies and interventions across children and family services, patient services, systems improvements, and policy changes. The report includes actionable resources, research, model programs, and other information to help policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders improve practices and policies, institute solutions to the crisis, and bridge the gap between research and practice.

Evidence-based prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery practices that have been proven for decades are drastically underutilized in the field of addiction. By advancing the uptake of evidence-based solutions, jurisdictions can drastically improve the response to addiction and change the trajectory of the opioid epidemic.

Through analysis and with input from scientists, researchers, practitioners, and families, Addiction Policy Forum identified 24 evidence-based practices that can be implemented at the state-, county-, and community-levels. The report spotlights local initiatives that have been implemented to address the opioid crisis, and can be scaled and replicated in communities throughout the country.

The project also includes a self-assessment tool that is designed to assist jurisdictions in evaluating the status of their current adoption of evidence-based practices and to help determine where to address gaps in efforts to combat the crisis. Support for the report and self-assessment tool was provided by Emergent BioSolutions.

Key recommendations that APF suggests policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders immediately address include:

1. Expand Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder

2. Increase Community Naloxone Distribution

3. Initiate Treatment in Emergency Departments

4. Medications for Opioid Use Disorder for Individuals in Prison and Jail

5. Distribute Fentanyl Test Strips

6. Expanding Support for Mothers with Opioid Use Disorder

7. Implement Programs for Children Impacted by Parental Substance Use Disorders

8. Expand Access to Syringe Service Programs

9. Expand Access to Behavioral Therapies

10. Expand Addiction Training for Doctors, Nurses, Pharmacists

11. Implement Child Welfare Interventions

12. Implement Co-Responder and Community Responder Initiatives

13. Screening for Substance Use Disorders in Pediatric and Primary Care

14. Implement Diversion Programs across the Criminal Justice Systems

15. Expand Reentry Services for Individuals with Substance Use Disorders

16. Screen for Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs)

17. Implement Student Assistance Programs in Middle and High Schools

18. Expand Community Prevention Coalitions

19. Ensure Support Group Access

20. Recovery Community Organizations

21. Eliminate Fail First Policies

22. Implement Co-prescribing of Naloxone with Opioid Prescriptions

23. Remove Fentanyl Test Strips from Drug Paraphernalia Laws

24. Eliminate Prior Authorization

The full APF report can be accessed here.