Opioids
A $15M grant program looks to improve maternal mental, behavioral health
Pregnant people are at a heightened risk of developing mental health or substance use disorders, which is why the federal government is investing in a program to improve health care for new parents amid a maternal health crisis.
Supreme Court issues rulings on opioid settlement, overturns Chevron doctrine
As the term nears its end, the high court has issued a flurry of decisions that will affect state and local governments.
An overlooked tool for chipping away at the opioid crisis
Too few states are assessing residents for substance use disorders, a practice that one expert says could get drug users into treatment earlier.
Could this state's health ‘hub’ model treating opioid addiction go nationwide?
Washington state's model provides a walk-in, “one-stop shop” for substance-use disorder patients. U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell is now championing it in Congress.
A new tool aims to help communities spend their opioid settlement money wisely
The dashboard helps local governments estimate how much money to expect and, based on that, offers evidence-based recommendations on how best to spend it.
City directs a cut of opioid settlement funds to grieving families
This summer, some families in Boston could start receiving payments to cover funeral expenses and legal services.
City tackles first responders’ opioid compassion fatigue
When physically and emotionally exhausted emergency personnel started saying, “Let them die,” officials in Huntington, West Virginia, knew they had a problem. They also had a solution.
Clean needles save lives. In some states, they might not be legal.
In Pennsylvania, where 5,158 people died from a drug overdose in 2022, the state’s drug paraphernalia law stands in the way of harm reduction programs that distribute sterile syringes.
San Francisco tries tough love by tying welfare to drug rehab
Starting in January 2025, public assistance recipients who screen positive for addiction on a 10-question drug abuse test will be referred to treatment. Those who refuse or fail to show up for treatment will lose their benefits.
What's the poop? Wastewater data predicts overdoses
Analyzing wastewater samples can help public health workers paint a reliable picture of a community’s rapidly evolving drug use to to get ahead of overdoses.
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First state-regulated overdose prevention center preps for opening
Rhode Island is using part of its opioid settlement money to expand harm reduction strategies and demonstrate how the center can impact drug use, crime and recovery.
To stop fentanyl deaths in Philadelphia, knocking on doors and handing out overdose kits
City officials hope that this proactive approach will normalize naloxone as an everyday item in the medicine cabinet, and prevent people from dying of overdoses, especially Black residents.
How states can help formerly incarcerated individuals stay sober
A Medicaid waiver can help state corrections facilities finance reentry services aimed at keeping previously incarcerated individuals in recovery and curbing the opioid crisis.
Track opioid settlement payouts—to the cent—in your community
Determining how much money has arrived is the first step in assessing whether the settlements will make a dent in the nation’s addiction crisis.
Tips for weaving equity into opioid settlement spending
The Equity Expectation Policy framework offers state and local officials insights on how to allocate opioid settlement funds effectively and fairly across communities.
Statistical models vs. front-line workers: Who knows best how to spend opioid settlement cash?
A mathematical model designed to direct spending of opioid settlement funds is at the center of a debate over whether to invest in technology to guide long-term decisions or focus on the immediate needs of people in addiction.
How one state has mapped out its opioid recovery plans
The Garden State is pouring more than $95 million of its opioid settlement money into harm reduction, treatment and housing as it starts to mitigate substance use disorders.
California prison drug overdoses surge again after early treatment success
Drug overdose deaths in California state prisons rebounded to near record levels last year, a big setback for corrections officials who thought they were on the right track with medication-assisted treatment efforts. Officials blame fentanyl.
Oregon's experiment in drug decriminalization failed. Advocates blame the state's political leadership.
Just over three years since Oregon voters passed Ballot Measure 110, elected officials want to repeal key elements, blaming the law for open drug use and soaring overdoses. But it’s their own hands-off approach that isn’t working, advocates say.
To put a dent in opioid addiction, start with the corrections system
Pilot programs have offered incarcerated individuals medications for opioid use disorder, but now it’s time to start expanding those programs for long-term success, observers say.
