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Join the Fight to Save Lives
Monday, March 17, 2025
In November 2024, the DEA Museum’s traveling Faces of Fentanyl memorial exhibit was on display for artists to see in Nashville, Tennessee ahead of the Country Music Awards. With the support of the DEA Educational Foundation and Channel Greatness, musicians toured the exhibit, which contains more than 1,000 photos sent to DEA from families of those lost to fentanyl. After learning more about DEA’s campaign, several artists used their voices to Join in the Fight to Save Lives.
https://www.dea.gov/jointhefight

Rural Recovery Innovations
Monday, March 17, 2025
This fact sheet offers key points about the disparities and magnitude of behavioral health problems in rural communities and the challenges for service delivery in rural areas such as geographic distance and workforce shortages. Solutions based on innovative practices and community collaborations were highlighted in SAMHSA’s Office of Recovery Rural Recovery Meeting along with other sources.
https://library.samhsa.gov/product/rural-recovery-innovations/pep24-08-010

Promoting Wellness in the Workplace
Monday, March 17, 2025
A guidance document from the Wellness in the Workplace Summit that convened both federal and non-federal partners to review innovative approaches for identifying and creating employment opportunities for people in or seeking recovery from substance use and/or mental health conditions. The issue brief is intended for use as a guide by businesses and state and local governments to implement the identified best practices of recovery ready workplaces and wellness initiatives and includes information on what is a recovery ready workplace, where to start, case examples, and additional resources to learn more.
https://library.samhsa.gov/product/promoting-wellness-workplace/pep25-08-002

Special Series: Advances in Buprenorphine Education
Monday, March 17, 2025
In this episode of ASAM Practice Pearls, Dr. Carolyn Chan and Dr. Shawn Cohen welcome addiction medicine expert Dr. Marlene Martin. With extensive experience in helping care teams navigate the complexities of in-hospital substance use, Dr. Martin provides insights on how hospital-based providers can effectively address these challenges with confidence and compassion.
https://asampracticepearls.podbean.com/

Nicotine Exposure From Smoking Tobacco and Vaping Among Adolescents
Monday, March 17, 2025
Question: Does nicotine exposure differ between adolescents who vape, smoke, vape and smoke, or do neither and by type of vaping product? Findings: In this cross-sectional study of 364 adolescents from 3 countries, exclusively vaping in the past week was associated with similar nicotine metabolite levels compared with smoking tobacco (exclusively and both vaping and smoking). Among adolescents who exclusively vaped, those who reported using nicotine salts had higher levels of nicotine metabolites vs those who reported using nonsalt products or who did not know. Meaning: These findings suggest that nicotine intake is similar among adolescents who vape and adolescents who smoke, with potentially important implications for understanding dependence and long-term patterns of vaping.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2831325

Research News Roundup: March 13, 2025
Monday, March 17, 2025
This research roundup, from DrugFree.org, provides five resources on the following topics: tobacco flavor policies, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, 'Early Leavers' from a private dual-diagnosis program, impacts of vaping and marijuana use on airway health, and teenage substance use.
https://drugfree.org/drug-and-alcohol-news/research-news-roundup-march-13-2025/

Legal Loophole Allows Children Who Access Social Media to See Marijuana Ads: Study
Monday, March 17, 2025
The Controlled Substances Act bans advertising the sale or use of marijuana via federal airwaves or across state lines. That has not stopped social media ads on marijuana websites from reaching children of all ages who use screens, researcher Alisa Padon of the Prevention Policy Group in Berkeley, California, told CNN.
https://drugfree.org/drug-and-alcohol-news/legal-loophole-allows-children-who-access-social-media-to-see-marijuana-ads-study/

COVID-19 Pandemic Coping, Social Support, and Emotional Health in American Indian and Alaska Native Peoples
Monday, March 17, 2025
Question: Among urban-residing American Indian and Alaska Native peoples, what types of coping behaviors and social support were associated with better emotional health outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic? Findings: In this cross-sectional study including 1164 American Indian and Alaska Native participants from 6 states, using problem-solving coping skills and receiving more emotional and functional support were associated with better emotional health. Meaning: During social upheavals, strengths-based American Indian and Alaska Native community approaches focusing on problem-solving coping and varied social supports may be associated with better emotional health.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2826724?widget=personalizedcontent&previousarticle=0

Mental Health: Get the Facts
Monday, March 10, 2025
Can you tell the difference between a mental health myth and fact? Learn the truth about the most common mental health myths and information to help destigmatize them. SAMHSA works to prevent and treat mental health conditions and provides support for people seeking or already in recovery.
https://www.samhsa.gov/mental-health/what-is-mental-health/facts

DEA Releases 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment
Monday, March 10, 2025
Today, DEA Administrator Anne Milgram announced the release of the 2024 National Drug Threat Assessment (NDTA), DEA’s comprehensive strategic assessment of illicit drug threats and trafficking trends endangering the United States
https://www.dea.gov/press-releases/2024/05/09/dea-releases-2024-national-drug-threat-assessment

Polysubstance Overdose Deaths Have Increased
Monday, March 10, 2025
Polysubstance drug use occurs with exposure to more than one drug, with or without the person's knowledge. Polysubstance overdose deaths have increased. These include deaths involving stimulants, opioids, xylazine, and counterfeit pills
https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/polysubstance-overdose.html

SUDORS Dashboard: Fatal Drug Overdose Data
Monday, March 10, 2025
The data below come from CDC's State Unintentional Drug Overdose Reporting System (SUDORS). SUDORS collects data on unintentional and undetermined intent drug overdose deaths from death certificates, medical examiner or coroner reports, and postmortem toxicology results. States and local jurisdictions are increasingly better informed by systems like SUDORS, which presents comprehensive information on the characteristics and circumstances surrounding drug overdose deaths to inform prevention and response efforts
https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/data-research/facts-stats/sudors-dashboard-fatal-overdose-data.html

5 Common False Beliefs About Drug Use, Users, and Addiction
Monday, March 10, 2025
Drug use and experimentation among teens often is ignored by many—even parents, who then may be unaware that any use places adolescent brains in jeopardy. For today’s teens, life often feels overwhelming, but avoiding alcohol, tobacco, marijuana, and other drugs is their one best choice to promote continued healthy physical and mental development. Preventing or delaying all teenage substance use not only reduces their current risks for depression, psychosis, and school/learning problems, but it also significantly decreases their probability of addiction as adults.
https://www.campusdrugprevention.gov/5-common-false-beliefs-about-drug-use-users-and-addiction

Suicide Prevention Strategies for Underserved Youth
Monday, March 10, 2025
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has released a new evidence-based guide: Suicide Prevention Strategies for Underserved Youth. Suicide is a leading cause of preventable death in the United States. In 2022, it was the second leading cause of death for youth ages 10 to 14 and the third leading cause of death for youth ages 15 to 24. Underserved youth ages 10 to 24 are especially at risk for suicidal behavior, with the most affected groups being American Indian/Alaska Native; Black/African American; Hispanic/Latino; and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning, intersex, and other (LGBTQI+) youth. Although suicide is a serious public health crisis, there is limited evidence addressing this public health concern across underserved communities
https://www.cossup.org/ResourceLibrary/Details/fc4618ad-77cf-4712-8ba5-fac49a161b8c

ASAM Submits Comments Supporting Final Rule on Telemedicine Initiation of Buprenorphine Treatment for OUD
Monday, March 10, 2025
On February 27, ASAM submitted comments to the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) that underscored ASAM's support for the Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter final rule. Once in effect, the rule will permanently preserve important flexibilities for the initiation of buprenorphine treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD). The comment letter also notes positive improvements from the original 2023 notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM), including expanding the originally proposed initial 30-day prescription limitation to six months. Read the full comment letter here. This final rule was originally scheduled to take effect on February 18, 2025. However, in accordance with an executive order issued on January 20 that instituted a regulatory freeze pending review, the DEA has published subsequent notice in the Federal Register that the buprenorphine rule's effective date has been delayed to March 21, 2025.
https://www.asam.org/news/detail/2025/02/27/asam-submits-comments-supporting-final-rule-on-telemedicine-initiation-of-buprenorphine-treatment-for-oud

Participation in Clinic-Based Referral and Navigation Services Among Families With Social Needs
Monday, March 10, 2025
Question What patient characteristics are associated with caregivers’ interest in assistance in meeting social needs from a general pediatric practice? Findings In this cross-sectional study of 758 patient families with at least 1 unmet social need, 315 (41.6%) were not interested in receiving assistance. Child race and ethnicity and caregiver education, as well as having tangible social needs, were associated with accepting assistance. Meaning These findings suggest that there are opportunities to improve communication to patient families about receiving assistance for a variety of social needs at their child’s pediatric clinic.
https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2830796

What the CDC is Doing to Address the Overdose Crisis
Monday, March 3, 2025
In 2022, nearly 108,000 people died from drug overdoses, which equates to approximately 296 overdoses each day.1 In a sub-set of states, 65% of overdose deaths had at least one potential opportunity to link people to care before the fatal overdose or to implement life-saving actions when the fatal overdose occurred.2 Drug overdoses can be prevented. See how CDC is working to prevent overdoses and substance use-related harms with the following strategies.
https://www.cdc.gov/overdose-prevention/about/what-cdc-is-doing.html

Reported Use of Most Drugs Among Adolescents Remained Low in 2024
Monday, March 3, 2025
After declining significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, substance use among adolescents has continued to hold steady at lowered levels for the fourth year in a row, according to the latest results from the Monitoring the Future Survey, which is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH). These recent data continue to document stable and declining trends in the use of most drugs among young people.
https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/12/reported-use-of-most-drugs-among-adolescents-remained-low-in-2024

Drugs of Abuse 2024
Monday, March 3, 2025
Education plays a critical role in preventing substance use and misuse. Drugs of Abuse, A DEA Resource Guide, is designed to be a reliable resource on the most commonly used and misused drugs in the United States. This comprehensive guide provides important information about the harms and consequences of drug use by describing a drug’s effects on the body and mind, overdose potential, origin, legal status, and other key facts.
https://www.dea.gov/documents/2024/2024-12/2024-12-12/drugs-abuse-2024

ASAM Releases New Assessment Guide to Help Clinicians Select an Appropriate Level of Addiction Care for Patients
Monday, March 3, 2025
Rockville, MD (Jan. 27, 2025) – The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has announced today the release of The ASAM Criteria® Fourth Edition Level of Care Assessment Guide, a streamlined tool that helps clinicians collect sufficient patient information to recommend an appropriate level of addiction care
https://www.asam.org/news/detail/2025/01/27/asam-releases-new-assessment-guide-to-help-clinicians-select-an-appropriate-level-of-addiction-care-for-patients

Buprenorphine Underused Despite Proven Benefits
Monday, March 3, 2025
Despite the proven effectiveness of buprenorphine to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), it remains drastically under-prescribed.
https://drugfree.org/drug-and-alcohol-news/nyt-buprenorphine-underused-despite-proven-benefits/

Higher Doses of Buprenorphine may Improve Treatment Outcomes for People with Opioid Use Disorder
Monday, March 3, 2025
These findings suggest that higher buprenorphine doses could be more effective in managing opioid use disorder, which may be particularly relevant for improving treatment for those who use fentanyl, a major driver of the overdose crisis.
https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/09/higher-doses-of-buprenorphine-may-improve-treatment-outcomes-for-people-with-opioid-use-disorder

ASAM Testifies at Congressional Hearing in Support of Expanding Addiction Treatment to End the Opioid Crisis
Monday, March 3, 2025
WASHINGTON (Feb. 26, 2025) – Today, Malik Burnett, MD, MBA, MPH, Vice Chair of the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s (ASAM) Public Policy Committee, testified before the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging during a hearing titled, “Combating the Opioid Epidemic.” In his testimony, Dr. Burnett acknowledged Congress’ efforts to curtail the supply of illicit fentanyl into the country but urged lawmakers to also focus on strengthening demand-side interventions. Such interventions include growing a robust addiction specialist workforce and reducing barriers to evidence-based addiction treatments
https://www.asam.org/news/detail/2025/02/26/asam-testifies-at-congressional-hearing-in-support-of-expanding-addiction-treatment-to-end-the-opioid-crisis

Rural Community Solutions to Address Substance Use Disorder Series, Article One: Intercept 0—Community Services
Monday, March 3, 2025
The Rural Responses to the Opioid Epidemic (RROE) project, co-funded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the State Justice Institute, supported 21 rural sites across the country to develop or enhance efforts to strengthen epidemiologic surveillance and public health data infrastructure; implement effective community-level opioid overdose prevention activities; and establish or enhance public safety, public health, and behavioral health collaborations. Sites could also expand peer recovery and recovery support services that help people start and stay in recovery
https://www.cossup.org/ResourceLibrary/Details/d9d0ac62-f130-4699-aaaf-74ead08c8bc1

Overdose Death Rates Decline 4% in 2023
Monday, March 3, 2025
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a report on changes in overdose death rates 2022-2023 by state and type of drug.
https://drugfree.org/drug-and-alcohol-news/overdose-death-rates-decline-4-in-2023/

Alabama Student 'Hope Dealer' Helps Youth Stay Drug-Free
Monday, March 3, 2025
Last Saturday, Pritchett was a mock city council member for Ward 7 through the Selma City Council President Shadow Program, where she implemented her thoughts about the city’s curfew times and making her voice heard for the noise ordinance changes within the city to keep residents of the community safe. Just before the role within city government, Pritchett was chosen by the Drug Free Communities of Dallas County (DFCDC) organization to be the youth representative to speak virtually in Washington D.C.
https://www.justthinktwice.gov/news-statistics/2024/12/05/alabama-student-hope-dealer-helps-youth-stay-drug-free

Six Lessons Learned about Engaging Families in Head Start’s Family Support Services
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Head Start uses a whole-family approach—that is, a philosophy supporting children’s health, development, and school readiness, as well as their families’ physical and mental health, housing, and financial stability—by providing a comprehensive, integrated set of support services tailored to meet the individual needs of parents and families.
https://acf.gov/opre/report/six-lessons-learned-about-engaging-families-head-starts-family-support-services

Sesame Street in Communities Demonstration Project
Thursday, February 20, 2025
All Rise’s Center for Advancing Justice is now accepting applications for treatment courts to participate in the Sesame Street in Communities (SSIC) Demonstration Project. This training and technical assistance project is designed to help teams integrate SSIC resources into their programs. SSIC resources are focused on improving communication with children and families about substance use and incarceration. All Rise encourages implementation of SSIC resources into treatment court programs to help participants build their social and community recovery capital.
https://allrise.org/trainings/sesame-street-in-communities-demonstration-project/

Judicial Bench Card: How to Address Adolescent Substance Use From the Bench
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Many youth and families are affected by substance use disorders. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health, in 2023, 48.5 million people aged 12 or older in the United States met the criteria for a substance use disorder (SUD). Not surprisingly, the justice system encounters those suffering from SUD and must be ready to respond in a way that promotes public safety and offers effective solutions. This judicial bench card highlights ways a judge can identify adolescents needing treatment services, make referrals to qualified clinicians, engage individuals and families in a trauma-informed way, and provide motivation for successful treatment completion.
https://allrise.org/publications/how-to-address-adolescent-substance-use-from-the-bench/

Journal for Advancing Justice Vol. V: Sustaining Long-Term Recovery as Part of Justice Reform
Thursday, February 20, 2025
New research and practice commentaries on evidence-based and promising practices for justice, treatment, and social service professionals
https://allrise.org/publications/jaj-vol-v/

Brain structure differences are associated with early use of substances among adolescents
Thursday, February 20, 2025
Many differences appeared to exist prior to any substance use, pointing to the role brain structure may play in substance use risk, NIH-supported study suggests
https://nida.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/2024/12/brain-structure-differences-are-associated-with-early-use-of-substances-among-adolescents

Overdose Fatality Review: A Data-Driven Response for Community Change and How OFR Can Support Your Efforts
Thursday, February 20, 2025
In this webinar, IIR Senior Research Associates, Lauren Savitskas and Carina Havenstrite, experienced in implementing and supporting overdose fatality reviews throughout the country, will explore the basic concepts of OFR and how it can support, integrate and elevate the existing efforts of the Opioid Affected Youth Initiative (OAYI) and/or other community-based programming.
https://vimeo.com/1054660325/92bdc27bc1?share=copy

Advising People on Using 988 Versus 911: Practical Approaches for Healthcare Providers
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
This Practical Guide provides key considerations for guiding people in the appropriate use of 988 and 911. It offers practical steps for integrating crisis care into daily practice, real world scenarios, sample scripts, and de-escalation techniques.
https://library.samhsa.gov/product/advising-people-using-988-versus-911-practical-approaches-healthcare-providers/pep24-06-009

Preventing Substance Use Among Young Adults with Disabilities
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
This advisory highlights the need for primary substance use prevention programs for young adults ages 18 to 25 with disabilities, provides guidance to prevention specialists on designing and tailoring these programs, and describes factors that may affect the delivery of prevention.
https://library.samhsa.gov/product/preventing-substance-use-among-young-adults-disabilities/pep24-06-003

Examining the Use of Braided Funding for Substance Use Disorder Services
Wednesday, February 19, 2025
This report looks at state and federal laws and policies that encourage braided funding to provide substance use disorder services, best practices for braiding funds, and pathways to sustainability for substance use disorder programs.
https://library.samhsa.gov/product/examining-use-braided-funding-substance-use-disorder-services/pep23-06-07-002

OFR Webinar: “Launch an Overdose Fatality Review: What You Need to Know to Get Started”
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Communities are using overdose fatality reviews (OFRs) to improve and strengthen responses to the overdose epidemic through public safety and public health approaches. In practice, OFRs involve the analysis and review of aggregate data and a series of individual death reviews by a multidisciplinary team to effectively identify missed opportunities for prevention and intervention resulting in community specific overdose prevention and intervention recommendations. This webinar will detail roles and expectations of OFR staff and members, review an OFR meeting agenda, provide guidance on OFR data collections and plans for implementing identified recommendations.
https://www.cossup.org/ResourceLibrary/Details/02196dc1-43a5-4c70-9604-45aa431aa495

Harm Reduction – Core Concept, Real-Life Implications, and HIV+ Vampires
Friday, December 13, 2024
This article explains that while abstinence is the ideal outcome, it is not always realistic or achievable for individuals struggling with addiction. Harm reduction strategies, such as naloxone distribution, medication-assisted treatment, and syringe service programs, aim to keep people alive and empower them to make safer choices on their own terms. The article also presents a real-life example of applying harm reduction principles to a unique situation involving a client who identifies as a "vampire." By focusing on education and empowerment, the article provides information on how harm reduction can be used to build trust, respect, and positive relationships with individuals who may be engaging in high-risk behaviors.
https://ofrtools.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024HarmReductionNewsletterArticleFinal.pdf?f=true

The Inaugural Youth Summit: Embracing the Youth Experience
Tuesday, December 10, 2024
The inaugural OAYI Youth Summit: Embracing the Youth Experience was a 2-day event held in Orlando, Florida, which brought together young leaders, professionals, and community advocates to address the opioid, stimulant, and substance use crisis affecting young people and their families. The summit focused on the intersection of substance use and mental health, promoting trauma-informed care, and empowering youth through leadership development and advocacy. Participants engaged in youth-led sessions, workshops, and panel discussions to share their experiences, build collaborative connections, and develop action plans for addressing substance use issues in their communities. The summit aimed to amplify the voices of youth, provide them with essential skills for leadership and advocacy, and create a platform for their active involvement in shaping solutions and driving social change.
https://ofrtools.org/Content/Documents/Articles/2024YouthSummitNewsletterArticleFinal.pdf?f=true

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