The final rule on 42 CFR Part 2, issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in January, essentially keeps the confidential protections that were in the proposed rule. We talked with Karla Lopez, senior staff attorney at the Legal Action Center, about how the final rule affects opioid treatment programs (OTPs). She explained that the new … [Read more...] about Final Rule For 42 CFR Part 2 Retains Core Confidentiality Protections
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AATOD’s Goal of Doubling Number of OTPs Has Strong SAMHSA Support
Over the next three years, the number of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the country will double, from 1,400 to 2,800, pledges Mark Parrino, MPA, president of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD). Announced at last fall’s AATOD conference, the expansion plan certainly makes sense: the opioid epidemic has been increasing, and support for … [Read more...] about AATOD’s Goal of Doubling Number of OTPs Has Strong SAMHSA Support
$1 Billion for Opioids from Cures Act, but ACA Repeal Could Undercut the Benefits
In December, the 21st Century Cures Act was signed by President Obama, providing $1 billion over two years to address opioid addiction. The law also provided $4.8 billion to the National Institutes of Health for research, such as for the “cancer moonshot.” However, the possibility that the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will be repealed creates great uncertainty about the future of … [Read more...] about $1 Billion for Opioids from Cures Act, but ACA Repeal Could Undercut the Benefits
Legal Action Center: Free Toolkit Will Help Challenge Criminal Justice and Child Welfare Agencies Who Require Patients to Stop Taking Methadone and Other Medication-Assisted Treatment
A new toolkit from the Legal Action Center can help patients, especially those taking methadone, understand their rights when they are told that they must stop taking their medication in order to keep custody of their children or avoid incarceration. Many times, these patients don’t have a lawyer, but even if they do, the lawyers could use help advocating for their clients’ … [Read more...] about Legal Action Center: Free Toolkit Will Help Challenge Criminal Justice and Child Welfare Agencies Who Require Patients to Stop Taking Methadone and Other Medication-Assisted Treatment
Research Results: Opioid Agonist Treatment Versus Detoxification in Lowering the Costs of Crime
A recent study compared opioid agonist treatment (OAT) and detoxification in patients with opioid use disorders. The goal was to see which treatment approach is associated with costs of crime. A team of six investigators, supported by a grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), led the study. They published their findings last December in the online version of … [Read more...] about Research Results: Opioid Agonist Treatment Versus Detoxification in Lowering the Costs of Crime
