2023
2022
AATOD to sponsors of methadone reform bills: Keep OTPs involved in dispensing
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) on March 2 sent letters…
New York OTPs Call for Help from Flush State Budget
With opioid overdoses at the highest level ever and still going up – more than…
Some support from AATOD in Markey-Paul bill, but NAMA-R supports it all
Like the Norcross bill introduced in the House of Representatives last year (see https://atforum.com/2021/12/norcross-bill-modernize-methadone-treatment/) the…
Mount Sinai Beth Israel Streamlines Procedures in COVID-19, Speeds Medication Delivery to OTP Patients
Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, experts at Mount Sinai Beth Israel (MSBI)—one of the largest…
Bill to Allow Pharmacy Dispensing of Methadone Introduced in the Senate
A bill to allow pharmacies to dispense methadone for opioid treatment was introduced in the…
Yngvild Olsen to be Director of CSAT
Both a medical doctor, an OBOT provider, and an OTP director, Yngvild Olsen, M.D. is well-known to…
Ideas for Research on Methadone Treatment, from NIDA task force
Last year a commentary on the Methadone Access Research Task Force, created by the National…
Buprenorphine Availability in Jails and Prisons up: More than 433% with COVID rules: Study
Buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorder in prisons and jails started increasing with…
Dropouts due to Inadequate Dosing: Greater than 50% of Patients
More than 50% of patients treated with methadone or buprenorphine drop out of treatment, mostly…
FDA: Tell your Dentist if you take Buprenorphine
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on January 12 said it will require a warning…
Obituary: Richard Saitz, M.D., M.P.H.
Richard Saitz, M.D., M.P.H., internationally and locally respected in alcohol and drug addiction research, died…
Two Studies Look at Effects of Relaxed COVID-19 Restrictions on OTPs—and Come Up With Different Answers
“No Home to Take Methadone to,” a story recently published on this website, investigated the…
Federal Government Announces First-Ever Harm Reduction Grants
The end of last year marked the first-ever announcement of federal grants for harm reduction…
Harm Reduction Initiatives Take Hold in White House
The end of 2021 saw several aggressive new harm reduction initiatives coming out of the…
Obituary: Bowman, Recovery Advocate
Paul Edward Bowman, an advocate of recovery who worked closely with the methadone and buprenorphine…
2021
Longtime NY SOTA Retiring, Puryear Moving to Position
The post occupied by Belinda Greenfield, Ph.D., as New York’s Opioid Treatment Authority (SOTA) for…
Norcross to Introduce Bill to ‘Modernize’ Methadone Treatment
With much support from many – but not the American Association for the Treatment of…
“No Home to Take Methadone to”: Study Reveals Inequities in Addiction Care
Key inequities in addiction care could be managed by correcting shortcomings uncovered in a recent…
SAMHSA Continues Relaxed Take-Homes
Relaxed take-home rules for methadone patients were announced in March 2020 as a result of…
Harm Reduction Proponent, Medical Doctor Nominated to Head OASAS
For the first time in recent history, New York is slated to have a medical…
Methadone Induction for Inpatients: Working with OTPs, but Stabilizing Quickly
Many hospital-based physicians are not comfortable with methadone, although they are very comfortable with morphine…
STUDY: OUD Disclosure Can Be Helpful, or Devastating; Study Participants Offer Advice
Stigma—negative beliefs and misperceptions, based on misinformation or lack of information—has long plagued people with…
ONDCP on CDC’s Latest OD Data
On October 13 the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released provisional death…
AATOD Calls for OTP Reforms, Including Relaxing Rules
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is recommending that federal regulators…
REVIEW ARTICLE: How Long Should OAT Last? A Month? A Year? Or…Forever?
The review article summarized here delves into a timely question: How long should treatment for…
How an Online Interview Can Help Programs Monitor Patient Progress, Identify Problems
Patients in treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) may have other conditions that need treatment,…
Helping SUD Providers Help Diverse Patients: Race, Incarceration, Pain, PTSD
Race: In “Can You See Us? Providing Culturally Competent Treatment for Persons of Color,” presenters…
STUDY: Do Health Care Costs and Service Usage Increase When Prisoners Are Treated for OUD, Then Released?
With the risk of fatal overdose at least ten times higher in released prisoners than…
The Need for Medications and Psychotherapy in Treatment
“I said I will never work for anyone who just makes you throw pills at…
Details on How to Use Methadone Vehicles: Two OTPs’ Experience
Two treatment providers with many years’ experience using mobile methadone outlined their lessons learned and…
SAMHSA Okays Use of SAPT Block Grant to Procure Methadone Vans from For-Profits
Kloxxado: Nasal Spray Naloxone Launched
Kloxxado, approved by the Food and Drug Administration in April for treatment of opioid overdose…
STUDY: “Is MAT Cost Effective?” Answer: A Resounding “Yes!”
We’ve long known that opioid use disorder (OUD) is a significant cause of morbidity and…
SAMHSA Issues New and Revised TIP 63 on Medications to Treat OUD
Last week, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) issued a new Treatment…
AATOD Sponsors August 11 Webinar: “How-to” on Mobile Methadone
The new Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) regulations allowing brick-and-mortar opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to dispense…
Legal Action Center Report Warns Hospitals of Legal Liability for Failing to Care for OUDs
Hospital emergency departments (EDs) risk legal liability by not referring patients to treatment with methadone…
ONDCP director nominated: It’s Gupta
West Virginia doesn’t have a stellar history when it comes to treating opioid use disorder….
Scoping Review: Interim Methadone Services Can Offer a Lifesaving Hand When Someone Desperately Needs Help
When someone with an opioid use disorder (OUD) seeks help at a busy opioid treatment…
DEA Okays Methadone Vans if Operated by OTPs
As of July 28, licensed opioid treatment programs (OTPs) can operate vans which dispense methadone….
When emergency departments make referrals, are they sending them to treatment?
Emergency departments have long been able to give patients methadone to treat opioid use disorder…
Methadone treatment reform: A middle ground?
There are many bills and proposals which would loosen up treatment with methadone or buprenorphine….
NSM to AATOD Board: Be Proactive to Avoid Big Professional Liability Claims
Krista Mayes, director of the addiction treatment provider program of NSM insurance, group, talked recently…
Two Studies Describe Differences in OTP Responses to COVID-19: What Can We Learn?
In these pages of Addiction Treatment Forum we feature two studies describing experiences at opioid…
FDA Approves Higher Dosage of Naloxone Nasal Spray
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a higher dose naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray…
OTP Clinicians’ Responses to Telemedicine and Changes in Methadone Service Delivery During COVID-19: A Qualitative Study
During the COVID-19 pandemic, opioid treatment programs (OTPs) have been given some flexibility in dispensing…
Reimagining Patient Care: Bronx OTPs Share Lessons Learned During COVID-19
When COVID-19 forced Bronx opioid treatment programs (OTPs) to change the way they operated, the…
Community Medical Services Reaches Out To Harm Reduction
Community Medical Services (CMS), which opened two new opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in Wisconsin and…
Flaws In Idea Of Expanding Access To Methadone Via FQHCs And Chain Pharmacy
A recent study hypothesized that distribution of methadone in Ohio via Federally Qualified Health Centers…
New OTP in Tennessee Opens
The Talbott Legacy Centers (TLC) announced the opening of a new opioid treatment program (OTP)…
X-waiver Changes Progressing Through Congress Amid Some Concerns From OTPs And Patients
Three bills going through Congress would change the way buprenorphine treatment is delivered, mainly eliminating…
Mass. Sheriff And R.I. OTP Work Together To Provide Treatment During Pandemic
The Hampden County (Massachusetts) Sheriff is helping men and women with opioid use disorder (OUD)…
Women with OUD Are at Risk for Poor Reproductive and Sexual Health Outcomes; OTP Staff and Providers Suggest Effective Interventions
Women with opioid use disorder (OUD) face many challenges, among them the risk of poor…
How to Attend AATOD
AATOD’s Las Vegas conference will be virtual, but still fun. Attendees at the April conference…
Vaccines and PPE for OTP Patients And Staff: A Work In Progress, Still
Writing in the “Points of View” section of the New England Journal of Medicine in…
Extended Take-homes: More Good News in New York
Extended Take-homes: More Good News in New York The expansion of methadone take-homes was highlighted…
Study Report: Implementing Open Access in OTPs; A Good Idea? Counselors Share Their Thoughts and Experiences
Let’s say you’re a counselor in an opioid treatment program (OTP), and your methadone maintenance…
2020
Update on Washington and OTPs for end of 2020
End of year activities in Washington, D.C. are full of important messages for opioid treatment…
Generic Buprenex
One of the public health concerns about prescription opioids, including for pain, is diversion, but…
Proposed bills would infuse opioid use disorder treatment with new funds
Two bills passed by Congress and heading to the Senate would be very helpful to…
To Mallinckrodt: Thank you from AT Forum
We all want to thank Mallinckrodt for almost 30 years of support. This wonderful company…
CODAC Works With BH Link For Behavioral Health 24/7 Urgent Care
Rhode Island supported the development of Behavioral Health Link, BH Link, a 24-7 urgent care…
Study: COVID-19 Threatens the Incarcerated With Loss of Life-Saving OAT Treatment
For people with opioid use disorder (OUD), getting into or staying in an opioid agonist…
Why OTPs Need To Stay In The Mix: The Shatterproof Yelp-like Pilot
When Shatterproof launched its new ATLAS (Addiction Treatment Locator, Assessment, and Standards Platform) project, funded…
New OTPs In Tennessee, Where Medicaid Now Covers Methadone/OTP
This summer, the Tennessee Health Services and Development Agency (HSDA) granted a Certificate of Need…
Pinnacle Ceo On Aegis Acquisition 2 Months Before Covid Hit
When Pinnacle Treatment Centers acquired California-based Aegis Treatment Centers this year, it gained 10,000 patients…
Can Jail-Based MMT Lower Costs and Help Prevent Recidivism?
Jail-based methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) sounds great in theory, but it’s rarely implemented. Yet opioid…
Extended Methadone Take-homes During COVID: Nothing But Success
Since March, when the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) relaxed rules for…
STUDY: Saving Lives by Launching Buprenorphine Treatment in the ED: What Clinicians Need to Know
It’s a scene that’s repeated countless times every day across the U.S. Siren blaring, an…
STUDY: Is ACA Medicaid Expansion Fueling the Opioid Epidemic, or Is It Saving Lives?
This is such an important question to resolve! Especially now, with more than a dozen…
How Stavros 24-7 Clinics Handle the Pandemic
When the pandemic hit the epicenter of New York City in mid-March, Nicholas Stavros’ 24-7…
How the North Carolina SOTA Responded to the Pandemic
When the pandemic hit full force in mid-March, the State Opioid Treatment Authorities (SOTAs) had…
STUDY: Risk Factors EDs Can Use to Identify Patients With Substance-Related Encounters Who Are at High Risk of Fatal Opioid ODs
Lacking alternative resources, many people with substance use disorders (SUDs) visit emergency departments (EDs), especially…
New Georgia OTP Takes Patients and Deals With the Pandemic
Gateway Treatment Centers in Ellijay, Georgia, opened January 7—just a few weeks before the pandemic…
AATOD Concerns about Harm Reduction Initiative During Pandemic
During the week of April 6, a sign-on letter circulating in the harm reduction and…
Provisions in CARES Act Affecting OTPs
The CARES Act revises 42 CFR Part 2 (confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records)…
Study Report: Pharmacy-Based Methadone Distribution
Eight investigators from medical centers in the U.S. and Canada recently looked into methadone access…
OTP Regulations Loosened Due to Pandemic
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) that dispense methadone got a fast and clear release from regulations…
AATOD Releases Guidance for OTPs on coronavirus/COVID-19
Make sure you have enough medication. Follow infectious disease protocols. Protect your workforce and patients….
COVID-19 Resources
https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/programs_campaigns/medication_assisted/telemedicine-dea-guidance.pdf https://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment/statutes-regulations-guidelines/covid-19-guidance-otp https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/otp-guidance-20200316.pdf https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/sample-otp-covid-19-faqs.pdf https://www.drugabuse.gov/about-nida/noras-blog/2020/03/covid-19-potential-implications-individuals-substance-use-disorders https://www.samhsa.gov/sites/default/files/tips-social-distancing-quarantine-isolation-031620.pdf https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/032520%20Title-By-Title%20Summary%20FINAL.pdf
DEA Proposes Mobile Methadone at Last
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has published its long-awaited proposal for opioid treatment programs…
Buprenorphine Effectively Treats OUD, But Most Patients Quit Treatment Too Early—Risking Relapse, Overdose, and Other Potentially Fatal Events
Here’s something most people in the field know: buprenorphine treatment lowers the risk of overdose…
Explaining Quality of Care in New Jersey, as State Looks at More Regulations for OBOTs
“We’re penalized because we’re so highly regulated and there is little or no oversight over…
Study Favors Better Insurance Reimbursement for Methadone Maintenance
The problem of methadone underuse isn’t new—but the authors of a recently published paper offer…
Surprise Speaker at NYSAM Focuses on Advantages of Comprehensive Care
The surprise speaker was Mark W. Parrino, MPA, president of the American Association for the…
Incarcerated People Are Entitled to Medications for Their OUD; So Why Aren’t They Getting Them?
There’s no question that opioid use disorder (OUD) is extremely common in incarcerated people. And…
Introducing Steve Woolworth, New Evergreen CEO
Steve Woolworth, PhD, the new CEO of Evergreen Treatment Services, has big shoes to fill….
Three Separate Programs Under One OTP Umbrella at Behavioral Health Group
In Colorado, some opioid treatment programs (OTPs) governed by federal methadone regulations are combining the…
Lawmakers Urge DEA to Move on Mobile Vans, Telemedicine
Congress is getting annoyed with the stalling by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on mobile…
2019
AATOD Conference Recap: ‘Out of the Shadows’
There were more than 1,800 attendees at the 2019 conference of the American Association for…
Top Honors at AATOD Award Ceremony Go to Gilbert Gerra, MD; Zachary Talbott
The crowning glory for many attendees of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid…
Mobile Vans a Hot Topic at AATOD–And Now
The open board meeting is the traditional opening work-sleeves session at the conference of the…
Telehealth Offers Best Opportunity for Treatment Expansion
There is great interest in telehealth in all of health care, including treatment for opioid…
New Face of Criminal Justice: Welcoming MAT
There is a growing partnership between corrections/criminal justice and treatment for substance use disorder (SUD)—especially,…
Cannabis for OUD: Not so Fast, Politicians
Politicians like the idea of cannabis as a way to cure society’s opioid ills. It’s…
Report: Why OUD Statistics Continue to Worsen, and What OTPs Can Do to Help
The statistics tell the story: Rates of opioid use disorder (OUD) and its consequences continue…
Review Article: Methadone Legend Dr. Kreek on Opioid Addiction Treatment
Mary Jeanne Kreek, MD Almost exactly a half-year ago we highlighted…
When Early Dropout From Opioid Agonist Therapy Seems Likely, Identifying Problems and Taking Action May Help Keep Patients in Treatment
Too often, patients drop out early from opioid agonist therapy and lose the many benefits…
Vermonters Speak Out About MOUD in the State’s Hub-and-Spoke System
Vermonters didn’t hesitate when recently asked to share their opinions about the state’s hub-and-spoke (H…
Relative Costs and Benefits of Methadone vs. Buprenorphine in OUD
It’s generally accepted that medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with methadone or buprenorphine is more effective than…
COMPA Members Use Telemedicine in Clinical Trial to Assess Hepatitis C Management in Methadone-Maintained Patients
Twelve opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in New York State are participating in a $7 million…
AATOD Concerned About SAMHSA Proposal to Drop PDMP Restriction
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is concerned about recent initiatives…
Providers Oppose Allowing Law Enforcement Access to Patient Records
Now that all the comments are in and counted, the votes are clearly against allowing…
AATOD Conference: Out of the Shadows and the Continuum of Care
AATOD Conference: Out of the Shadows and the Continuum of Care Every 18 months the…
CMS Proposes Rates for Medicare Reimbursement for OTPs
The federal government’s approval of Medicare reimbursement for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) was a huge…
NIMBY Doesn’t Affect Only OTPs
Even buprenorphine treatment programs are being chased out of town—at least, if the towns have…
CODAC To Provide Induction for MAT in Massachusetts Prisons
In another move toward expansion of opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in correctional settings, CODAC Behavioral…
Rural Areas Have the Longest Drive Times for OTPs
It should come as no surprise that rural areas have longer drive times to opioid…
AATOD, NAMA Concerned About Law Enforcement Threats to Patient Confidentiality
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is concerned about recent initiatives…
SAMHSA Proposes Putting Methadone Information Into PDMPs
In the long-awaited rulemaking amending 42 CFR Part 2, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health…
Why Patients With OUDs and Co-Occurring Mental Illness May Have a Better Chance in an OTP Than in Other Treatments
When a patient with an opioid use disorder (OUD) fails to respond to treatment—despite the…
He Wanted to Live, But He Chose to Die—To Access Methadone
In a report published in the July issue of Health Affairs, addiction specialist Jessica L….
Add ASAM to “X the x-waiver” Movement
For months, the position of the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) on the move…
Buprenorphine a Focus of AMA Opioid Task Force
A report out from the American Medical Association (AMA) this summer recommends closing the treatment…
Methadone Now Allowed in Upstate NY Prison, If Inmates Come From Rikers OTP First
A new program in New York has finally made it possible for methadone patients in…
Role of Counseling in OTPs
Many people have questions about the role of counseling in methadone maintenance treatment, sometimes suggesting…
OTP Responds to Shooting at Baltimore Clinic Across the Street
Two people died after a shooting at the highly respected Man Alive opioid treatment program…
Susan Caille Emerson, 1951–2019
We have lost our publisher, Sue Emerson. It happened on April 18, following a short…
Review Article: NIDA Experts Dr. Blanco and Dr. Volkow on Opioid Use Disorder
A new review paper by Carlos Blanco, MD, PhD, and Nora Volkow, MD, nicely summarizes…
Study: Medicaid Expansion Under ACA Can Increase Access to OAT—But Better Access May Be Within Reach
When Medicaid expansion was enacted under the Affordable Care Act (ACA), expectations were that patients…
42 CFR Part 2 Still Under Threat
Despite years of attempting to do away with the regulation that protects the confidentiality of…
Keeping All Three OUD Medications in Congress’ Eye
The key to keeping methadone and opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the sights of appropriators…
OTPs, Profit, and Not-for-Profit: What’s the Fuss About?
Does for-profit status connote anything at all about the quality of treatment, about how well…
Medicare Part D Insurers Are Making the Opioid Crisis Even Worse: It’s Much Tougher Now to Prescribe Buprenorphine, Easier to Prescribe Opioids
Almost 90% of Medicare Part D insurance companies covered at least one buprenorphine product without…
Prior Authorizations of OUD Medications Are at Times Dangerous, and May Violate Federal Parity Laws; the SUPPORT Act Fails to Help
The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act—the massive piece of legislation signed into law on…
Increasing Access to MAT: What Is the Role of Harm Reduction?
There are moves—important and funded ones—to support the expansion of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), but those…
Expanding OTPs Into Corrections in Maryland
One of the most important initiatives occurring in methadone treatment for opioid use disorders (OUDs)…
Corrections: Big Focus for OTPs
As authorities start recognizing the need to treat opioid-dependent detainees in jails and prisons, rather…
CMS and SAMHSA Visit OTPs in Preparation for Bundled Rate for OTPs
The federal Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) and the Substance Abuse and Mental…
Trouble Ahead: Shifts in Funding Limit Access to Methadone, Threaten Treatment Expansion
With opioid overdoses now killing more people than traffic accidents or HIV infection—more than 45,000…
When There Are Corporate Changes, Patient Treatment Should Continue Without a Hitch
There have been significant changes at Acadia Healthcare Company, which operates many opioid treatment programs…
Cannabis and OTPs: What Next?
Not only is cannabis—marijuana—legalized for recreational use in many states; it’s also legal for medical…
Alcohol: The Elephant In the OTP Room
The world of addiction has a deeply embedded image of the oft-cited elephant in the…
Integrated Care Model in Canada Includes Pharmacy
Canadian Addiction Treatment Centres (CATC), based in Toronto, has over 14,000 patients, 80% of whom…
Field Loses Pioneer and ‘Honorary Patient’ Tom Payte
Tom Payte James Thomas Payte, MD, died January 22 at the…
The Shocking Facts About Opioid Deaths in the Very Young
Yale researchers have uncovered startling data about the number of children and adolescents (younger than…
The “Three-Day Rule” Needs To Be Extended to Allow Longer Treatment With Methadone or Buprenorphine
In 2017, Gail Groves Scott, MPH, manager of the Substance Use Disorders Institute at the…
How OTPs Can Help Pain Patients With OUDS: SAMHSA
Can opioid treatment programs (OTPs) help pain patients who no longer need opioids for pain?…
42 CFR Part 2 Still a Target for 2019
Perhaps the best example of what can happen to loss of confidentiality is the story…
In-House, On-Site Pharmacy Provides Convenience and Minimizes Stigma, Enhancing Retention
In opioid treatment programs (OTPs) in the United States, all pharmacy is “in-house,” meaning that…
2018
MATER Center Director, on the Importance of Dr. Finnegan’s Work—Which Continues—and the Need to Treat Mothers for Trauma
Loretta Finnegan Loretta Finnegan, MD, a champion of medication-assisted treatment with…
Opportunities for Partnership Between OTPs and Prisons, Jails
Although the general attitude toward methadone and buprenorphine is not favorable on the part of…
Caught in Chaos—When Pregnant Women With OUD Are Incarcerated; How OTPs Can Help
Case Report This is the story of a young woman with a 15-year history of…
DEA’s Foot-Dragging on Mobile Vans Gets Worse
More than two years ago, just before Donald Trump was elected president, Demetra Ashley, associate…
AATOD Policy Paper Looks at Methadone and Buprenorphine, OTPs and DATA 2000 Practices
In a far-reaching policy paper to be published next year, a draft copy of which…
Most Important Aspect of Congress’ Opioid Bill: Medicare for OTPs
The 660-page opioid bill that passed Congress and was signed October 24 by President Trump…
42 CFR Part 2: It’s Still Under Threat, Misunderstood; But OTP Patients Need It!
42 CFR Part 2 protects the privacy of patient substance use disorder (SUD) treatment records….
When OTP Patients Face Surgical Pain, OTP and Surgical Staff Work Together to Help
Health care teams are brought up short when they see the words opioid use disorder…
Toolkit Helps Women State Legislators With Opioid Bills
Healthy Women, a group that has been active for 30 years, is expanding its work…
In Memoriam: Bob Newman
I spent hours visiting with Robert Newman, MD, beloved methadone advocate, over the past 30…
Challenges to Hiring and Retaining Good Workers in OTPs
As the opioid crisis continues, opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are going to face big challenges…
BAART Sues California City Over NIMBY Blocking Of Clinic
This summer, Bay Area Addiction Research and Treatment (BAART) sued the city of Concord, California…
Study: Lack of Nearby OTPs Puts Methadone Patients at Risk of Early Death
Under federal law, newly enrolled methadone patients must attend a methadone program six days a…
Expanding OTP Access In California, Where Waiting Lists Are Not Used
California technically doesn’t have waiting lists for opioid treatment programs (OTPs). When a program is…
HHS Supportive of MAT Prescribing by Nurse Anesthetists, Midwives
“Nurse anesthetists can give any drug in the [operating room]; they put you under; and…
Opioid Bills in Congress: Focus on Medicare and OTPs – Updated August 25, 2018
As the Senate gets ready to vote on opioid legislation, advocates urge people to contact…
42 CFR Part 2 Faces Tough Going in Congress
When the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 6082 last June methadone patients worried that…
How New York Uses Its STR Funds to Enhance Treatment
To use its more than $50 million in funding from the State Targeted Response (STR)…
As the NAS Crisis Worsens, a New Study Offers Treatment Guidelines
The incidence of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) has been climbing steadily, according to a 2016…
Research Report: In Appalachia, Pregnant Women With OUD Encounter Barriers to Treatment
Appalachia is an area long known for beautiful scenery, coal mining, and devastating poverty. And…
West Virginia Leads the Nation With Its Opioid Problems; But Could Change Be Coming?
It’s a lovely state, nestled in the tree-covered Appalachian mountains—but West Virginia, the state hardest…
Opioid Bills in the Senate: Focus on Medicare and OTPs
By Alison Knopf “I don’t think there’s a single legislator who isn’t interested” in passing…
Drug Use During Pregnancy Is Not Child Abuse: Experts Weigh in On Pennsylvania Court Decision
“The Pennsylvania Supreme Court is considering whether a pregnant woman’s use of illegal drugs qualifies…
Has the Medicaid Expansion Issue Finally Been Settled? If so, What’s the Best Way to Make Expansion Work?
Much has been written about the impact of Medicaid expansion on the opioid crisis and…
SAMHSA Gives No Information on How Many Patients Are on Buprenorphine or How Well They Are Doing
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) must submit a plethora of information on their services to the…
Profiles of Today’s OTP Leaders
Plenty of opioid treatment program executives are leaders in the field, but their names don’t…
Ann Jamieson
Ann Jamieson, MS, aged 46, is the Chief Operating Officer and Director of Professional Development…
Jason Kletter
Jason Kletter, PhD, aged 47, is the President of BayMark Health Services, where he has…
Robert C. Lambert
Robert C. Lambert, MA, aged 54, president and executive director of Connecticut Counseling Centers, Inc.,…
Christine Martin
Christine Martin, LMFT, CACII, aged 35, is director of clinical services for Center for Behavioral…
Stacey Pearce
Stacey Pearce, aged 43, Chief Compliance Officer at Alliance Recovery Centers, in Georgia, started working…
Allegra Schorr
Allegra Schorr, aged 56, is president of the Coalition of Medication-Assisted Treatment Providers and Advocates…
Nick Stavros
Nick Stavros, age 39, CEO of Community Medical Services, presided over the recent sale of…
Zac Talbott
Zachary C. Talbott (“Zac”), aged 35, a native of Tennessee, is administrator and program director…
States Are Legalizing Nonprescription Syringe Sales in Pharmacies; How Well Is That Working?
Nonprescription sales of syringes in pharmacies are being met with some enthusiasm, some resistance, and…
Methadone Patients Don’t Feel “Disabled,” But They Do Have a Protected “Disability” Under the ADA
Patients in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)….
OTPs in Florida: Needs-Assessment Changes Underway
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed HB 21 in March, providing more than $65 million to…
AATOD Conference Recap: Field Has Funding, Now Needs Infrastructure
There were more than 2,000 attendees at the 2018 conference of the American Association for…
An Interview With Dr. McCance-Katz On Importance of Medications and Psychosocial Treatment
Elinore F. McCance-Katz, MD, PhD Elinore F. McCance-Katz, MD, PhD, assistant…
Department of Justice Tells State Attorney General: ADA Protects People On MAT
For the first time ever, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has sent a letter to…
With “Open-Access,” Methadone Treatment Can Increase Patient Census and Eliminate Waiting Lists: Research
In a study of “open access” treatment with methadone maintenance, reducing barriers to treatment led…
MAT During Incarceration Reduces Overdose Deaths
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder provided to incarcerated individuals sharply reduced overdose deaths…
MOTHER Study Babies Thrive at Three Years; AT Forum Talks With Lead Authors
It’s long been known that medication-assisted treatment (MAT), with adequate doses of methadone or buprenorphine,…
When Mom Is Better Than Morphine: Shorten Stay and Decrease Costs For Babies With Methadone-Related NAS
When Loretta Finnegan, MD, a champion of medication-assisted treatment with methadone, developed her famous scoring…
White House Wants Americans To Share Addiction Stories On New Website
“Could a new website serve as a way to bring attention to the opioid crisis? The White…
Dr. Jana Burson Blog: Guest Dosing at Opioid Treatment Programs
“Guest dose unto others as you would have others guest dose unto you.” I think…
Attorney General Sessions Announces DEA Surge to Combat Prescription Drug Diversion
“Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced yesterday that, over the next 45 days, the Drug…
AATOD Board Meeting Features Visits With Lawmakers, ONDCP, DEA, and SAMHSA
The annual board meeting last December of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid…
California Moving Forward on Hub and Spoke, Care Teams
California has embraced the hub-and-spoke concept in implementing its State Targeted Response (STR) to the…
Vermont Hub-and-Spoke Evaluation: No Opioid Overdoses, and a Sharp Drop—96%—in Opioid Use
The hubs—OTPs—treat patients who have been assessed as needing the OTP level of care. These…
How OTPs Can Help Reduce Stigma: The Boston Experience
Boston is not the only city with a powerful push by academics and providers for…
Research Report: Getting More Methadone Patients Into HCV Treatment
Here’s an eye-catching statistic: only about 3% of the world’s population is infected with hepatitis…
Moving Ahead on Methadone in Corrections
People who get incarcerated—in prisons or jails—tend to be people with more advanced addiction. If…
Poll: Americans Consider the Opioid Crisis a Major Problem—but Not a National Emergency
Results of Seven Merged National Polls, 2016 and 2017, New England Journal of Medicine –…
2017
AT Forum Turns 25: Reporting on Opioid Use Disorders and Medication-Assisted Treatment
For a quarter-century AT Forum has served as a source of support and encouragement for…
Health Care Uncertainty Leaves Questions for OTPs; Self-Pay May Continue
In one respect, opioid treatment programs (OTPs) have an advantage over most areas of health…
Opioid STR Grant Funding Formula Stays in Effect for Year 2
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced that the funding formula for…
24/7 Access to OTPs Opened in Arizona With Federal STR Funds
Arizona is using some of its Opioid STR (State Targeted Response) money, granted under the…
Older Adults with Opioid Use Disorders—The Forgotten Generation
They’ve been called a “growing and understudied population”—people who need treatment, yet find it hard…
Need for Medicare Reimbursement for OTPs Cited in DC Briefing
Senior citizens are not immune from opioid use disorders (OUDs), but Medicare does not cover…
FDA: Keep Patients on Methadone or Buprenorphine, Even if They Test Positive for Benzodiazepines
The practice of ending treatment if patients test positive for benzodiazepines was discouraged in no…
How President Trump’s Opioid Commission Supports OTPs and Comprehensive Treatment
On November 1, the White House released the long-awaited final report on the President’s Commission…
“Adolescent Opioid-Related Deaths are Soaring…”— An Update
An article in our August-September newsletter on the rise in adolescent opioid-related deaths included recommendations…
NIDA Launches Tools for Assessing Adolescents’ Risk of Opioid Use Disorder, Opening the Door to Medication-Assisted Treatment
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has launched two online screening tools—BSTAD and S2BI—to…
Still Under a Moratorium, OTPs in West Virginia Finally Get Medicaid Payments
Last fall, West Virginia got its Medicaid 1115 waiver approved, allowing, among other things, Medicaid…
AATOD Releases Recommendations on Siting OTPs in Era of Growth
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) has released recommendations on siting…
FDA Says Benzodiazepine Use Not a Bar to Treatment With Methadone or Buprenorphine for Opioid Addiction
Citing the harms of untreated opioid use disorders, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA)…
It’s Official: Heroin Is Once Again More Popular Than Rx Opioids
Many health professionals have suspected it for a while, and now it’s official: a study…
Study Reveals Surprising Results: White Patients in OUD Treatment Are Significantly Less Likely to Receive Methadone or Buprenorphine
This was a study of specialty treatment for opioid use disorders (OUDs) in publicly funded…
Adolescent Opioid-Related Deaths Are Soaring; We Can’t Wait “Until Things Get Worse”!
In September of last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a policy statement…
SAMHSA Issues Brief Update on Use of Medication-Assisted Treatment
This update from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports trends in…
OTP Leader Ed Higgins Leaves Legacy for the Field
Longtime methadone and opioid treatment program (OTP) advocate and professional Edward J. Higgins died peacefully…
Expect Opioid STR Grant Money to Be Scrutinized After One Year
Of the $1 billion in federal grants going out to states in 2017 and 2018…
Community Medical Services in Arizona: Working with Corrections, Drug Courts
It has become clear that many people with opioid use disorders (OUDs) end up in…
Policies Limiting Rx Opioids Aren’t Working; It’s Time to Expand MAT and Evaluate Other Options
Prescription opioids are still getting much of the blame for the current opioid overdose crisis,…
Aegis Telehealth Makes Buprenorphine Treatment More Convenient for Patients
Imagine opioid treatment program (OTP) patients being able to get counseling and prescriptions from their…
Buprenorphine Reimbursement in OTPs Advances in California
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) still use methadone as their main medication, especially in states where…
Mobile Vans for OTPs: Getting Closer to Reality
The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is not yet ready to talk about mobile vans. The…
Faces & Voices of Recovery Honors Two OTP Leaders
Mary Jeanne Kreek, MD At its July 17 “America Honors Recovery”…
Fentanyl Analogues Not Resistant to Narcan® (Naloxone)
“Contrary to recent news reporting, there are no fentanyl analogues resistant to Naloxone. News reports…
Rapid Growth in Medicaid Spending on Medications to Treat Opioid Use Disorder and Overdose
“This brief gives policymakers and the public perspective on the scope of potential Medicaid spending…
Number of OTPs Tops 1,500 For First Time Ever
For the first time in the history of opioid treatment programs (OTPs)–federally regulated clinics that…
Amid Beltway Disarray, Field Sees Bright Spot in McCance-Katz Nomination
President Trump, along with Republican members of Congress, is calling for a repeal of the…
AATOD, Acadia, and 433 Others Protest Health Care Bill as Destructive to Opioid Treatment
President Trump promised to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA), and although it took some…
SAMHSA Issues Opioid STR Grants
On April 19, the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the first…
Research Results: Lowering the Risks of Death for Patients Receiving Methadone or Buprenorphine
Evidence is growing that two key factors help determine the risks of death in patients…
Poll: The Public Speaks Out About Opioid Misuse
Results of a Poll Released by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) -May 1, 2017 To…
Report from NASADAD – ONDCP to State Directors: Increase Access to Treatment
Single state authorities (SSAs) are on the front lines of the opioid epidemic. They’re in…
When Facing NIMBY, Be Transparent: The Lesson From Buffalo, NY
Not in my back yard (NIMBY)—that’s how to best describe the feeling in local neighborhoods…
AATOD Issues Five-Year Plan: Bottom Line Focus Is Still on Stigma
The five-year plan of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) has…
Study: Benzodiazepines + Prescription Opioids = Caution Needed!
Benzodiazepines help patients cope with severe anxiety, panic disorder, or sleep problems; prescription opioids can…
California Will Use Cures Act $80 Million To Expand Treatment With Hub-And-Spoke System
The Cures Act, signed in December 2016 by President Obama, gave $920 million over a…
SAMHSA Develops MAPS Project to Determine Where OTPs Are Needed
The Center for Behavioral Health Statistics and Quality (CBHSQ) has been hard at work determining…
Buprenorphine Dispensing Problems in Virginia: Coal Country Rules
The Virginia Board of Medicine, backed by the state, has banned the use of buprenorphine…
Why Women Use—and Misuse—Opioids
How different are women from men, when it comes to using—and misusing—opioids? More different than…
Tennessee Bill Would Place Full Liability on OTPs for Car Accidents
A bill winding its way through the Tennessee legislature would make opioid treatment programs (OTPs)…
Mobile Vans: Not Ready for Prime Time
Yes, there are regulations in preparation to address the use of mobile vans to dispense…
AATOD Issues Benzodiazepine Guidelines
On April 6, the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) released its…
Final Rule For 42 CFR Part 2 Retains Core Confidentiality Protections
The final rule on 42 CFR Part 2, issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental…
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…
$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…
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,…
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…
Virginians Vote: Support Treatment—Not Jail—For Drug Users*
Treatment, not jail time—that’s what most people who misuse opioids should be offered, say Virginia…
Fighting Stigma: Down With “Drug Users”; Up With . . ?
There’s a movement afoot to banish short, snappy, offensive terms like “addict,” “drug users” and…
2016
Medicaid Coverage for Addiction Treatment Varies Dramatically
“A study published Monday in the journal Health Affairs found significant disparities in Medicaid coverage…
Use of Needle Exchange Programs Up Dramatically In 10 Years: CDC
“Although there was a significant increase in the use of syringe services programs (SSPs)—more commonly…
Election: OTPs Should Be Vigilant, But Optimistic
How will the election of Donald Trump as president of the United States, with far-ranging…
AATOD Conference Recap
Double the number of opioid treatment programs—from 1,400 to 2,800—in the United States over the…
AATOD Plenaries: Standing-Room-Only Interest in OTPs, MAT
Mark Parrino Mark Parrino, MPA, made no secret of his plan…
Top Honors at AATOD Award Ceremony Go to Michael Botticelli, Others in Field
A centerpiece of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) is the…
Introduction: The AATOD White Papers
Produced by the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) under a contract…
Health Homes in Vermont: Start Some Patients on Buprenorphine in OTPs, Transfer to OBOT (Part I in a Series of AATOD White Papers)
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Use Disorders (AATOD) this year issued three…
How OTPs Can Integrate Care With Other Health Care Providers (Part II in a Series of AATOD White Papers)
The second white paper issued this year by the American Association for the Treatment of…
Criminal Justice System: The Need to Educate the Courts, Corrections, and the Child Welfare System (Part III in a Series of AATOD White Papers)
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) issued three white papers this…
Surgeon General’s Report Focuses on Science, Medications
The U.S. Surgeon General’s report on alcohol and drugs—the first ever devoted to this topic—should…
Innovative OTP Integrates Buprenorphine Maintenance Treatment; Patients and Caregivers Benefit
An innovative hospital, one of the largest in New York City, has successfully integrated buprenorphine…
Vermont’s Hub-and-Spoke System Could Be Model for OTPs
In Vermont’s opioid treatment system, devised ingeniously by Gov. Peter Shumlin with Affordable Care Act…
NIMBY: Even in an Opioid Epidemic, OTPs and Patients Fight an Uphill Battle
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) across the country have been engaged in battles to locate, in…
Patient Advocate Calls On Federal Government to Fight NIMBY
Jocelyn Woods, MA, executive director of the National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery (NAMA-R), has…
Health Policy Takes Aim at Two Epidemics—OUD in Pregnancy and NAS in Newborns
A comprehensive review article in Obstetrics and Gynecology summarizes troubling data on the epidemic of…
RI Health Homes Initiative: Improving Wellness for The Patient, And The Bottom Line for Medicaid
People with opioid use disorders are a small percentage of Medicaid enrollees, but they represent…
Marijuana Testing: Advice From SAMHSA and the Joint Commission
In this day of medical marijuana in some states, and recreational marijuana as well, what…
Tennessee Patients’ Lack of Access at Root of Georgia’s OTP Moratorium
Georgia’s 67 opioid treatment programs (OTPs) aren’t enough to treat everyone in the state who…
Tips From Top OTP Executives on Recruiting and Retaining Counselors
Finding and keeping good counselors in an opioid treatment program (OTP) isn’t easy, no matter…
Early Intervention for OTPs: Education and Awareness Needed
Why don’t more patients go to opioid treatment programs (OTPs) earlier in their disease? For…
OTPs Should Not Report Patient Information to PDMPs, But Should Use PDMPs For Patient Care
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) regulates opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and…
Research Results: Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs Help Reduce Opioid-Related Deaths
On July 14 Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV), along with Sens. Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) and Angus…
Recently Released Resources
Whitepaper: “Models of Integrated Patient Care through OTPs and DATA 2000 Practices” available for download…
AATOD Releases Second Whitepaper, Focusing on “Integrated Service Delivery Models for Opioid Treatment Programs in an Era of Increasing Opioid Addiction, Health Reform and Parity”
“The first section is written by Dr. Kenneth Stoller and Dr. Mary Ann Stephens in…
Longtime Confidentiality Rule: SUD Consent Provisions Up for Change
In a process that began six years ago and is likely to continue for months,…
AATOD Responds to HHS Buprenorphine-Cap Proposal
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) have been concerned about a proposal to raise the number of…
Counseling in OTPs: A Necessary Part of Treatment with Medication
Counseling is a required component of an opioid treatment program (OTP) under the Substance Abuse…
Psychosocial Intervention and Medications in Treating Opioid Use Disorders: A Review
Opioid overdose rates have risen to epidemic levels, underscoring the need for comprehensive treatment of…
When OTP Patients Are in the Criminal Justice System: Collaborate and Communicate
Drug courts, corrections, and in fact the entire criminal justice system is undergoing a sea…
A Significant Decline in Criminal Charges Seen With Methadone Treatment—not With Buprenorphine Treatment
A key goal in addiction treatment is to reduce the criminal activity associated with substance…
Methadone or Buprenorphine? Letting Patients Choose May Improve Outcomes
Although either methadone or buprenorphine can treat opioid use disorders effectively, patients may have good…
Joint Commission Makes Key Changes in Accreditation Standards for OTPs
A host of changes in accreditation standards are coming for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) from…
How Treatment in an OTP Is Paid for: It Costs a Lot More Than the Price of the Medication
A December 30 article in Modern Healthcare blithely described the cost of methadone—the medication—as $4,000…
Employment Rights for People on MMT: SUDS, HIV, Hepatitis
Five years ago, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ordered Hussey Copper to pay…
Success Story: Advocate Opens First OTP, Second to Open This Spring
Counseling Solutions opened its first opioid treatment program (OTP) in Chatsworth, Georgia, in February, with…
Death of an Important Voice in the Addiction Field: Stewart Leavitt Leaves a Legacy
When Stewart B. Leavitt, PhD, died in February at age 70, the methadone maintenance field…
Medicaid Coverage of Methadone Essential in Treatment Access for Opioid Use Disorders: Study
States that have Medicaid funding for methadone treatment are far more likely than states without…
AATOD Board Meeting With Federal Officials: Buprenorphine Cap Main Issue
The two-day meeting of the board of directors of the American Association for the Treatment…
Administrative Withdrawal: Discharging OTP Patients for Nonpayment
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs), like other health care providers, are not required to provide patient…
Stigma Article Series: Part I – Patients With Opioid Addiction Continue to Face Stigma
Publisher’s Note: Despite the current buzz about the expansion of opioid-agonist treatment, stigma continues to…
Stigma Article Series: Part II – Watch Your Language! Stigmatizing Patients Who Have Addiction Disorders Can Worsen Clinical Care
In two editorials published soon after he was appointed senior editor of the Journal of…
Stigma Article Series: Part III – News Media Contribute to Stigma Directed at People Who Misuse Opioids
On December 1, Psychiatric Services in Advance, an online service of the American Psychiatric Association,…
Stigma Article Series: Part IV – Fighting Stigma Against Opioid Treatment Programs: People and Education Are Needed
The best way to fight stigma against opioid treatment programs (OTPs) is to bring the…
Patient Advocates: Leading Peer Specialists in OTPs
The growth of the patient advocate movement in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) is a benefit…
2015
The Intersection of Pain and Addiction: OTPs Brace For More Patients
The ongoing efforts to reduce prescribing of opioids should have an effect on opioid treatment…
Mark Parrino: Policy Responses to Opioid Epidemic Should Include Comprehensive Treatment
During the past year, key government agencies, medical associations, policy makers, the media, and families…
Barriers to OTP Expansion
There’s a question on the minds of everyone who is involved with opioid treatment programs…
Providing Naloxone to OTP Patients and Family Members: A Good Idea
Five patients at the opioid treatment program (OTP) where Jana Burson, MD, serves as medical…
Profiling and Comparing Opioid Users: A Possible Tool for Intervention
In the August/September issue of the Addiction Treatment Forum newsletter we discussed a review article,…
Beny Primm Leaves Legacy of Wisdom and Compassion in Methadone Treatment and HIV/AIDS
Beny Primm, MD, a leader in the treatment of opioid addiction and AIDS, died October…
Dr. Jana Burson Blog – Injecting Buprenorphine (Suboxone, Subutex)
“I know why addicts inject buprenorphine (Subutex): they think it saves them money. Over the…
ASAM, Federal Officials Join to Promote MAT for Opioid Use Disorders
On September 24 the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), with the support of top…
In The Age of Parity, Payers Still Put Up Barriers to OTP Reimbursement
Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial insurance—all three programs are putting up barriers to reimbursement for treatment…
Counties to Get the Purse Strings for SUD Services Under California Waiver: OTPs, Already In a Good Spot, Worry About Changes
A massive change in the way California Medicaid pays opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and other…
Methadone Split-Dosing: Less NAS, Better Maternal Recovery
Cases of neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS)—a group of withdrawal symptoms that sometimes afflict newborns—increased about…
John McCarthy, MD, ABPN, Answers Questions About the Methadone Split-Dosing Protocol
AT Forum: Your protocol for pregnant patients at the Bi-Valley clinic calls for giving split…
Opioid Addiction: A Review of Long-Term Patterns and Consequences
Despite widespread news coverage, extensive research, and effective treatments, opioid addiction is reaching new heights—not…
OTPs Can Help Support Primary Care Buprenorphine Prescribers
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) can do “all the heavy lifting” when it comes to counseling…
Retrospective: Vincent Dole Would Be Disappointed In the Stigma MMT Patients Face Today
Vincent Dole, MD Twenty years ago, AT Forum published an interview…
SAMHSA Awards $11 Million in Grants to Treat Opioid Use Disorders
In late July the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) announced which 11…
To Reduce Opioid Treatment Program Legal Liability, Practice Good Medicine— And Document It
If your patient tests positive for illicit drugs while in treatment at your opioid treatment…
ASAM Guideline Shows What It Takes To Treat Opioid Use Disorders: Medications and Support
In May, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) issued a practice guideline on medications…
Don’t Ignore Benzodiazepines in the Opioid Epidemic: Massachusetts
In April of 2014, Richard D. Lewis posted “Opiates and benzos: A deadly cocktail of…
New Medications for Hepatitis C Gradually Making Interferon a Drug of the Past
Interferon, a traditional medication sometimes used in combination with ribavirin or other medications to treat…
Methadone Dose-capping Still Continues in Practice, If Not in Policy
Dose-capping—limiting the amount of methadone a patient can take on a daily basis—was ruled “contrary…
Success! New York Medicaid to Reimburse OTPs for Buprenorphine
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are finally able to bill Medicaid for buprenorphine treatment in New…
Access to HCV Screening, Testing, and Medications for Patients in Opioid Treatment Programs (Part III in a series)
What can patients in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) expect when seeking screening, v testing, and…
CMS Proposes Extending Parity to Medicaid Managed Care
On April 6, just after the national meeting of the American Association for the Treatment…
Opportunities for Medication-Assisted Treatment Access and Expansion: The Time Is Right
The heroin and prescription-opioid epidemic are intersecting with the Affordable Care Act and parity, creating…
AATOD Conference Recap, Progress Report, and Future Challenges
Read More…
Heroin Use Levels Off in U.S., But Still High: Report
Read More…
New OTP Accreditation Guidelines Will Not Allow Mid-Levels
Special Feature ATForum article. Read More…
Opioid Treatment Program Accreditation Guidelines Will Not Allow Mid-Levels; SAMHSA Will Work with States on Exemptions
The final revised guidelines for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) were released March 31 by the…
HHS Actions to Address Opioid-Drug Related Overdoses and Deaths in U.S.
Read More…
SAMHSA Proposed Budget Encourages MAT for Treating Opioid Use Disorders
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released its budget request for…
To Be Part of Integrated Health Care, You May Need an Electronic Health Record and an In-House Clinic
Electronic health records (EHRs) are needed when opioid treatment programs (OTPs) work in coordination with…
Good News for Patients in Opioid Treatment Programs: Treatments for Hepatitis C Infection Are Becoming Affordable (Part II in a series)
The outlook for patients in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) who need affordable treatment for hepatitis…
Lawyers in Kentucky Drug Court Case Wants Physicians, Not Judges, to Decide on MAT
A landmark lawsuit aimed at getting Kentucky drug courts to accept medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for…
Legal Action Center Report: Medication-Assisted Treatment a Key Solution to the Opioid Epidemic
The Legal Action Center released a report in March focusing on medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The…
Jerry Rhodes, from CRC to Acadia, Muses on Future of the Field
When Acadia Healthcare announced that it planned to acquire CRC Health Group last year, CRC…
MAT Federal Lawsuit Against the State of Kentucky
“Two law firms have teamed up to file a federal lawsuit against the state of…
Health Care Reform One Year Later: Medicaid Much Better Than Commercial Insurance for Opioid Treatment Programs
A year ago, the Affordable Care Act (ACA), with the expansion of Medicaid and the…
Overcoming Obstacles to Opioid Treatment Expansion: The North Dakota Example
We’re well into one of the worst opioid addiction epidemics in recent memory, and one…
For-Profit Opioid Treatment Programs Leading the Growth Curve
If it weren’t for proprietary financing interests, there would be little growth in opioid treatment…
A Tough Challenge for Opioid Treatment Programs: Linking Hepatitis C Patients With Affordable Testing and Treatment Services
Finally, there’s good news for the many patients in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) who are…
Thanks To ADA Lawsuit, Johnson City, Tennessee May Open Doors to Opioid Treatment Programs
Tri-Cities Holdings has been trying to site an opioid treatment program (OTP) in Johnson City,…
California’s Reaction to Obamacare: Medi-Cal Better Than Commercial Plans
Alex Dodd, president and CEO of Aegis Treatment Centers, divides Obamacare─the Affordable Care Act (ACA)─into…
NJ Supreme Court Rules Pregnant Woman on Methadone Not Guilty of Child Abuse
A December 22 unanimous ruling by the New Jersey Supreme Court reversed a lower court…
How Opioid Treatment Programs Can Prepare For and Manage DEA Inspections
Mark W. Caverly, who was an investigator for 31 years, in charge of diversion policy…
2014
Drug-Overdose Deaths Have More Than Doubled in the U.S.
Opioids and heroin are two of the greatest offenders…
The Legacy of Dr. H. Westley Clark
SAMHSA Blog by Pamela S. Hyde.
Kade Appointed Acting Director of CSAT in Wake of Clark’s Retiring
Daryl W. Kade, MA, has been appointed acting director of the Center for Substance Abuse…
Increasing the Buprenorphine Patient Cap: Threat to Patient Care
Over the summer, steps have been taken to increase the “cap”—the number of patients a…
“The Talk”—When Patients Want to Switch from Methadone to Buprenorphine
Most advocates in the field oppose the idea of a stable patient who is doing…
Research: Buprenorphine Treatment for Opioid Addiction: Opportunities, Challenges, and Strategies
Buprenorphine/naloxone has been available in the U.S. for both opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and office-based…
Primary Care Clinic Next to Opioid Treatment Program Provides Stigma-free Care
In Texas, people in the uninsured and indigent population die on average 29 years sooner…
Attracting New Patients to Your Opioid Treatment Program: The Importance of Word of Mouth and Referrals
In many parts of the country, how to market to attract new patients to opioid…
AATOD Policy Paper: Raising Buprenorphine Patient Cap Could Hurt Patient Care
The opioid overdose epidemic has led to a call by some to raise the 100-patient…
Changes in Confidentiality Regulations Would Hurt Opioid Treatment Program Patients, Damage Privacy
The long process of reviewing 42 CFR Part 2, the regulation that governs confidentiality of…
ONDCP’s Michael Botticelli on the Importance of OTPs in Treating Opioid Use Disorders
Michael Botticelli, acting director of the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and a…
Medicaid Managed Care, New Insurance Rules Coming to New York Opioid Treatment Programs
There are big changes coming up for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) and other substance use…
Research Report: Dosage Trends in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Programs: Significant Improvement, But Still Below Evidence-Based Standards
The sharp rise in heroin use and prescription opioid abuse in recent years underscores the…
Research Report: Patients Treated With Methadone vs. Buprenorphine: Differences in Demographic Characteristics and Treatment Outcomes
A study published online May 12, 2014 in Substance Abuse compared demographic characteristics and treatment…
Life Concerns of Prescription Opioid and Heroin Users—What Are They, and How Do They Differ?
The daily worries and instabilities that plague opioid-dependent patients can make it difficult for providers…
Research Abstract: Cocaine Use Among Opioid Users: Is All Cocaine the Same?
Results suggest that it may not be appropriate to consider powder and crack cocaine as…
ASAM State Medicaid Coverage of Addiction Treatment in the US
As part of ASAM’s “Advancing Access to Addiction Medications” project, the Treatment Research Institute was contracted to…
Dr. Jana Burson Blog: Revoking Methadone Take home Doses
Diversion of take home doses to someone other than the patient for whom it was…
FDA Designates Opioid Overdose Treatment for Fast Track
“A Kentucky company headed by a recognized expert in nasal delivery of medication says…
SAMHSA Accreditation Guidelines for Opioid Treatment Programs: Final Version Out Within a Year
The draft accreditation guidelines for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) released last spring (see AT Forum…
The Joint Commission Issues Revised Standards for Opioid Treatment Programs
Working closely with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), The Joint Commission…
Providing Buprenorphine in an Opioid Treatment Program: Challenges and Opportunities
When the federal government said in December of 2012 that opioid treatment programs (OTPs) can…
New Methadone Safety Guidelines Published for Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain Management
In recent years the safety of methadone has been questioned by data indicating a large…
Additional Resources for New Methadone Safety Guidelines Published for Opioid Addiction and Chronic Pain Management Spring 2014
Addiction Treatment Forum Newsletter, Spring 2009. Mandatory QTc screening for methadone patients—OTPs respond to published…
Tennessee Law Puts Pregnant Women on Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction in Danger of Arrest
As of July 1, a pregnant woman who gives birth in Tennessee to a baby…
Project Lazarus Brings Opioid Treatment Program to Wilkes County Along With Naloxone Kits
Project Lazarus, a nonprofit organization based in Moravian Falls, North Carolina, is best known nationally…
The M.A.R.S. Peers Model at Work in Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction
The M.A.R.S. Project is the only federally funded program that provides peer recovery support to…
Study Suggests Chronic Pain is Widespread and Undertreated in MMT Programs By Guest Author Stewart B. Leavitt
Pain is a worldwide epidemic and more than a third of all adults, or 100…
Heroin Use, and Deaths, Rise – The Death of Philip Seymour Hoffman from an Apparent Heroin Overdose Underscores the Drug’s Resurgence
“The death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman from an apparent heroin overdose underscores the drug’s…
From the Publisher—Special Issue on Recovery From Opioid Addiction
For six decades methadone maintenance has been an approved treatment for opioid addiction. People who…
MAT With Methadone or Buprenorphine: Assessing the Evidence for Effectiveness
It’s not surprising that a thorough review of the efficacy of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with…
Walter Ginter on the Importance of Peers in Recovery With Medication-Assisted Treatment
Stigma is a common theme among people seeking recovery from the disease of opioid addiction,…
Interview: Zac Talbott on Being a Patient and Certified Advocate for Medication-Assisted Treatment
Patients and other individuals who are advocates are a growing force in medication-assisted treatment (MAT)…
Recovery Transformation in Philadelphia OTPs: Person-centered, not Patient-centered
Over a decade ago, Philadelphia’s public health system moved toward recovery for mental health and…
Patients in Methadone Maintenance Treatment Face Obstacles and Stigma When Joining 12-Step Groups
It’s ironic—and disappointing—that patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) who join mainstream addiction recovery groups…
Is Maternal Methadone Treatment Child Abuse and Neglect? New Jersey Supreme Court to Weigh In
One year after the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled that a pregnant woman did not…
Guidance Provided for Safe Methadone Induction and Stabilization in OTP Patients By Guest Author Stewart B. Leavitt
Expert opinion from ASAM stresses safety during MMT start-up For roughly half a century,…
2013
AATOD Meeting Highlights: A Banner Meeting for Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Recovery
This year’s meeting of the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD) reflected…
Methadone vs. Buprenorphine: How Do OTPs and Patients Make the Choice?
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) have always been able to dispense buprenorphine on the same basis…
Treatment of Opioid Dependence: A Call for an Evidence-Based Approach
Despite decades of accumulated data on the effectiveness of medication-assisted treatment (MAT), gaps remain between…
OTPs as Health Homes: Extra Money for Care Management
Some states are making opioid treatment programs (OTPs) health homes under a federal strategy that…
NIMBY and Other Problems: Still an Uphill Battle For OTPs, But Hope Seen In Patient Advocacy
The NIMBY (Not In My Back Yard) syndrome is one significant challenge for opioid treatment…
Keeping OTP Patients in Treatment Longer: Methadone vs. Buprenorphine
Data from the first large randomized U.S. trial comparing treatment retention of methadone and buprenorphine…
Meaning and Methadone: A Model for Promoting Adherence in MMT, Based on Patients’ Perceptions
The prevailing dosing model in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) supports adjusting methadone doses downward, based…
In California, a Focus on Getting OTP Patients Enrolled in Medicaid
Opioid treatment programs (OTPs) have many patients—childless adults, mainly men—who have not been eligible for…
Counselors Are Split On Medication-Assisted Treatment
“How do counselors feel about the role medication plays in the treatment setting? Are they…
From the Publisher: The Story for OTPs This Summer: Health Care Reform
In the summer 2013 issue of AT Forum, one theme keeps coming up—and driving—the story…
What’s New in the Draft Opioid Treatment Program Federal Guidelines: Midlevel Providers and the Importance of Recovery and Retention
Under the federal draft guidelines for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) issued by the Substance Abuse…
Increased Demand for Treatment Under the ACA: How OTPs Should Prepare
With the Medicaid expansion and insurance exchanges of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) due to…
Good News and Bad News for Opioid Treatment Programs in California
Heading into the first year of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), Jason Kletter, PhD, president…
ASAM: States and Insurance Companies Limit MAT in Face of Opioid Abuse Epidemic and ODs
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is being thwarted by state governments and insurance companies, the American Society…
Philadelphia Releases Benzodiazepine Draft Guidelines for MAT
Important guidelines to help opioid treatment programs (OTPs) determine how to handle benzodiazepine use by…
No Evidence to Support QTc-Interval Screening in Methadone Maintenance Treatment: Cochrane Review
“Methadone represents today the gold standard of efficacy for the pharmacological treatment of opioid dependence,”…
SAMHSA’s New Medical Director Will Focus on Medical Treatment of Addiction
Elinore McCance-Katz, MD, PhD, the first medical director of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health…
From “Angels” to “Liquid Handcuffs”—MMT Patients Use Metaphors as Tools to Aid in Recovery
Investigators in this study explored the experiences of patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for…
Bob Newman is Retiring, But You Haven’t Heard the Last From Him
Legendary methadone treatment advocate Robert G. Newman, MD, is retiring. But, he hastens to add,…
Two Kinds of Roles for OTP Peers under the Affordable Care Act
Peers—patients in medication-assisted treatment (MAT) who are in recovery—are gradually being enlisted into the workforce,…
NASADAD Issues Consensus Statement Endorsing Medication-Assisted Treatment
The top state officials in substance abuse treatment approved a consensus statement in December that…
NASADAD Prescription Drug Inquiry Reveals SSAs Very Concerned About Prescription Drug Misuse and Abuse
Prescription drug abuse—something a whole industry of monitoring and law enforcement is growing up around—is…
Seeking and Getting Substance Abuse Treatment: Barriers Women Face
Our first article in this series, “Becoming Addicted: It’s Different—and Riskier—for Women,” delved into the…
Why MMT Patients Exchange Prescription Drugs
Patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) exchange a variety of prescription drugs—but little is known…
From the Editor – Maine Continuing to Push for Caps on Medication-Assisted Treatment
First, Maine imposed two-year caps on methadone and buprenorphine treatment, if paid for by MaineCare,…
OTPs Can Now Dispense Buprenorphine Take-Homes with No Waiting Periods
As of January 7, 2013, opioid treatment programs (OTPs) can now dispense buprenorphine take-homes, with…
Buprenorphine vs. Methadone
Buprenorphine and methadone, both being opioids, activate the opioid (mu) receptors on nerve cells. And…
History of Buprenorphine
Buprenorphine has been in active use for 10 years as a treatment medication for opioid…
Promise of Health Care Reform for Opioid Treatment Programs Dimmed by State Discrimination
Health care reform will bring increased access to opioid treatment programs (OTPs), but not as…
Chronic Pain in Opioid Treatment Program Patients Typically Untreated
Many patients in opioid treatment programs (OTPs) are likely to have chronic pain, but in…
Drug Addiction: It’s Different—and Riskier—for Women
When it comes to drug addiction, gender does make a difference. Women start using substances…
Admissions for Combined Benzodiazepine and Narcotic Pain Reliever Abuse Rise Sharply
In ten short years, substance abuse treatment admissions for combined benzodiazepine and narcotic pain reliever…
MMT Patients Need Physical Activity; Brief Interventions Could Help
Physical activity is so important for patients in methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). They’re already at…
2012
Methadone Dosing During Pregnancy: Does Anyone Have a Clue? John J. McCarthy, MD, Guest Author
Methadone treatment of the pregnant, opioid-addicted mother is routinely cited in research studies as causing…
Hearing Bad Things about Methadone Treatment? Thank “Dr. Drew”
Why is it that most opioid-dependent patients aren’t enrolled in medication-assisted treatment (MAT), despite its…
Habit OPCO Helps Educate the Criminal Justice System about Medication-Assisted Treatment
Although it’s well known that many people wind up in the criminal justice system because…
OTP Victory in Berwyn Hoped to Discourage Other Localities From Discriminating
The city of Berwyn, Illinois will never pick a fight with an opioid treatment program…
AATOD Issues Prescription Monitoring Program Guidelines for OTPs
The American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD), issued guidance this June to…
PMPs Need to be More ‘User-Friendly’ for Physicians, Study Finds
There are barriers to prescribers’ use of prescription monitoring programs (PMPs), according to researchers from…
Federal Government Tests New PDMP Projects in Indiana and Ohio
A new pilot program launched by the federal Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…
Study Finds Methadone Take-homes Reduce Acute Care Hospitalizations
It’s been known that among patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) for opioid dependence, take-home…
Injecting Someone Who ODs Called a Homicide in Maryland
There’s a difference between a drug overdose and a homicide, even if the drug was…
Maine Plans to Cut OTP Rate, Limit Treatment to Two Years
Included in the massive cuts being proposed for MaineCare, the state’s Medicaid program, are a…
Heroin Use Among Suburban Teens Skyrockets; Experts Say Prescription Pills are the New Gateway Drug
‘Twenty years ago, half of the heroin addicts in treatment lived in two states —…
The NAOMI Study: After a Year on Heroin Maintenance, Is it Ethical to Terminate?
A Canadian study that started in 2005 comparing heroin maintenance with methadone maintenance has given…
AATOD Conference a Resounding Success
More than 1,350 people attended the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (AATOD)…
Some OTPs Discharge, Others Taper for Illicit Benzodiazepine Use
Benzodiazepine use and abuse by patients on methadone is a pressing concern for opioid treatment…
Innovative Massachusetts Federally Qualified Health Center Expands OTP Services
For 3 years, Lifeline, an opioid treatment program (OTP) of Stanley Street Treatment and Resources…
CODA Credits Its Research Department for Winning SAMHSA Award
Officials at CODA, one of the three opioid treatment programs (OTPS) to win the 2012…
A Call for OTPs to Step up Rapid HIV Testing
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and their Addiction Technology Transfer Center…
Prisoners Taking Effective Methadone Doses Report to Methadone Treatment Programs After Release
“To be effective, [opioid addiction] treatment must begin in prison and be sustained after release…
Stop Stigma Now: Small Organization Rises to Raise Funds for Methadone Treatment PR Campaign
Stop Stigma Now, a small group of retired opioid treatment program (OTP) providers has a…
Obituary: PCSS-Methadone
The Physicians’ Clinical Support System for Methadone (PCSS-M) died a quiet and unnoticed death last…
A Fog of Drugs and War
The military environment makes regulating the use of prescription drugs a challenge compared with the…
Painkiller Sales Soar Around U.S., Fuel Addiction
Sales of the nation’s two most popular prescription painkillers (oxycodone and hydrocodone) have exploded in…
New Study: Methadone Clinics Don’t Bring Crime to Neighborhoods
The NIMBY (“not in my backyard”) people are at it again. But a new study…
Denying Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Criminal Justice System—Is It Legal?
Denying access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction has been a long-standing practice throughout…
SAMHSA Panel: No Mandatory ECG Testing for OTP Patients
A panel convened by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has stopped…
Prospective Employer $37,500 for Not Hiring Methadone Patient
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) on January 23 announced that the United Insurance…
Vermont to Expand Medication-Assisted Treatment for Opioid Addiction Using a Managed Care Approach
Vermont is embarking on an ambitious initiative to expand medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in response to…
Patient Advocacy Group Works to Improve Treatment in NY OTPs
A new group, VOCAL-NY, modeling themselves after some of the aggressive organizations that brought attention…
RESEARCH REPORT: Study Finds No Evidence That Methadone Was Cause of Driving Accidents
A research report from Norway published in the December 11, 2011 issue of Addiction found…
PRACTICE POINTERS: How to Effectively Treat Veterans Using Medication-Assisted Treatment
At the end of 2011, veterans from Iraq returned home, many of whom will require…
Improving Public Health Worldwide Through Medication-Assisted Treatment
Finding ways to improve public health while controlling costs is a major concern in today’s…
2011
SAMHSA Releases N-SSATS Data from the Latest National Survey Substance Abuse Treatment Services
On Dec 1, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) released findings from…
Pain Pill Addiction Torments Even the Most Innocent
As addiction to prescription painkillers spreads in Maine it touches even some of the most…
Too Many Babies Suffering Drug Withdrawal
Despite the growing numbers of babies born in Tampa Bay to mothers who are addicted…
Study Sheds Light on Young Suburban Heroin Users – Research Points to Ineffective and Incomplete Drug Education as Factor in Heroin Initiation
Researchers found Chicago area suburban heroin users have little knowledge about the drug and its…
CSAT: Accessing Prescription Drug Data to Maximize OTP Patient Safety
Prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs), electronic databases of prescriptions submitted by dispensers (pharmacies and practitioners…
Kentucky Heads up Interstate Prescription Drug Task Force
In the absence of a national PDMP system, people are able to cross state lines…
People on Methadone Can Succeed on Hepatitis C Treatment
Opiate users on methadone maintenance therapy can be successfully treated for chronic hepatitis C and…
U.S. Drug Strategy Focuses on Prescription Drug Abuse
The federal government has proposed a 19-percent increase in funding for domestic prevention, treatment, and…
Florida Pill-Mill Crackdown Increases the Need for OTPs
The 2011 national drug strategy singled out South Florida as the epicenter of the Nation’s…
Why Primary Care Doctors Are Walking Away From Buprenorphine
Primary care physicians in Vermont are walking away from prescribing Suboxone, saying that they are…
ASAM Recognizes Addiction as a Brain Disease, Supporting the Need for Medication-Assisted Treatment
On August 15 the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) published its new definition of…
New Resource – Principles of Addiction Medicine: The Essentials
A new handbook from the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), Principles of Addiction Medicine:…
Methadone Treatment Expansion in Baltimore Reduces Waiting Lists
Baltimore, once called by the Drug Enforcement Administration the “heroin capital of the U.S.,” no…
Methadone Clinic Wins NIMBY Battle
A victory in Warren, Maine for CRC Health Group is a victory for methadone clinics…
EEOC Sues Employer for Discriminating Against Methadone Patient
The federal agency charged with keeping discrimination out of the workplace has good news for…
Length of Time from First Use to Adult Substance Abuse Treatment Admission – TEDS Admission Data 2009
To reduce the negative consequences of substance abuse, it is important for individuals who need…
Town of Warren Maine Settles Methadone Lawsuit – Insurer to Pick Up All but $1
Warren townspeople voted 97-45 Sept. 14 to settle the federal lawsuit filed by CRC Health…
Drug Deaths Now Outnumber Traffic Fatalities in U.S., Data Show
Propelled by an increase in prescription narcotic overdoses, drug deaths now outnumber traffic fatalities in…
2011 National Drug Threat Assessment Now Available Online
This report is a comprehensive assessment of the threat posed to the U.S. by the…
We’re Going Green and Interactive!
Back in the summer of 1992, we published the premier edition of the Addiction Treatment…
Implementing EHR Systems in OTPs: Potential Roadblocks and Lessons Learned – An Interview with Lawrence S. Brown, Jr, MD, MPH
Despite government incentive programs and a 2014 deadline for establishing a fully electronic health record…
Buprenorphine Diversion May Signal Need For More MAT and Greater Oversight
As more buprenorphine is prescribed in physicians’ offices to treat opioid addiction, the potential for…