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Despite indisputable research demonstrating the value of medication treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD), now considered the “gold standard” of care, uptake of these evidence-based treatments remains frustratingly slow. But it has been encouraging lately to see policy-makers and field leaders advancing access to these lifesaving treatments, given the seriousness of the opioid crisis.
Federal agencies continue to lift restrictions that created roadblocks to accessing buprenorphine treatment for OUD. In January the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) finalized regulations that will allow prescribing of an initial six-month supply of buprenorphine through a telehealth visit. Even audio-only telehealth appointments will be able to generate an initial prescription.
It’s widely agreed that the temporary loosening of restrictions on access to medications for OUD during the COVID-19 pandemic had no harmful effects. The latest DEA rule, and other regulations still in the proposal stage, should remove some barriers to timely treatment. Still, these rules likely won’t be sufficient by themselves to close the gap between the need for care and the services available.
There also has been intense discussion of proposed federal legislation that would expand the availability of methadone treatment beyond the current opioid treatment program (OTP) structure. The proposed Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act remains highly controversial in the field, in part over concerns that patients receiving methadone in a physician office setting will not receive comprehensive substance use care.
What will continue to propel the addiction treatment field toward integrating these proven treatments is the example some of the leading treatment facilities are setting for their colleagues. Some of these providers date back to a time when multiple medication options weren’t available, and some were resistant to the idea that an opioid agonist medication could serve as sound treatment for OUD.
For the industry to maximize the potential of these medication treatments, providers in multiple settings will have to become more equipped to incorporate them into everyday practice. To that end, many see the increasingly popular Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) model as an ideal location for medication treatments for OUD.
Grant funding from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has supported multiple rounds of free interactive training for CCBHCs that are interested in offering medication treatment for substance use disorders. The seven-month online learning collaborative, called Enhancing Use of Medications for Addiction Treatment in CCBHCs Project ECHO, is familiarizing CCBHC administrators and front-line workers with the various medication treatment options. Particular attention is paid to OUD, given the gravity of the overdose crisis and the compelling evidence base for buprenorphine and methadone.
We at Sigmund Software are proud to serve as a voice for wider application of these and other evidence-based treatments. We will continue to advance the tools that facilitate the integration of proven interventions into daily practice.
