CASA, the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse provides a great article about addiction policy in the United States in 2016. Written by Samuel A. Ball, PhD, the article analyzes the progress made in 2016 and looks ahead to 2017, exploring some of the challenges.
Here are some excerpts:
2016 was a historic year for addiction policy. In the face of a devastating opioid epidemic that shows little signs of abating, the federal government engaged in multiple efforts to change our national tone and approach toward addiction. There has been great progress in improving our collective understanding of addiction as a disease instead of a moral failing. This is reflected in the work of lawmakers who have adopted public health approaches in lieu of punitive criminal justice responses.
The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) became law on July 22, 2016. Aptly named, the law takes a comprehensive public health approach to addiction by authorizing funding for a wide range of grant programs focused on prevention, treatment, recovery, law enforcement, criminal justice reform, and overdose reversal. The law expands access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) by allowing appropriately trained nurse practitioners and physicians assistants to seek waivers to prescribe buprenorphine.
In October, the White House Mental Health & Substance Use Disorder Task Force issued its report on parity implementation. The report contains several actions and recommendations to improve parity compliance and enforcement, including resources and support for health care consumers, regulators and health plans. The report acknowledges and addresses many of the challenges impeding full parity implementation.
The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health was released in November. The report shines a much needed spotlight on substance misuse and addiction and provides a long overdue call for significant changes to how we address this top public health problem. This report lays a strong blueprint for the field of addiction to follow over the next four years and beyond.
On December 10, 2016, the federal government approved $500 million in funding to help states respond to the opioid crisis.
The second major piece of addiction legislation to pass Congress this year is 21st Century Cures. Signed into law on December 13, 2016, 21st Century Cures is a broad health law that builds on CARA by authorizing several grant programs to promote the use of evidence-based practices for addiction prevention and treatment. The law funds grants to address the opioid epidemic, strengthen the substance use disorder treatment workforce, improve the quality of addiction treatment and support integrated health care systems. Finally, the law contains several provisions to promote compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act.
Despite the solid foundation that was set this year, it is clear that much work remains to be done. Substance use and addiction rates are still unacceptably high and people are still dying from opioid overdoses at an unprecedented rate.”
In the article, Mr. Ball continues to explore four challenges that law makers should tackle in 2017. Continue reading the complete story here.
Source Website: National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse
