Subject(s)
COVID-19/epidemiology , Drug and Narcotic Control/organization & administration , Public Policy , Drug and Narcotic Control/legislation & jurisprudence , Humans , Opiate Substitution Treatment/methods , Opioid Epidemic/statistics & numerical data , SARS-CoV-2 , United States , United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/legislation & jurisprudence , United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/standardsABSTRACT
The novel coronavirus has thrown large sections of our healthcare system into disarray, with providers overburdened by record breaking number of hospitalizations and deaths. The U.S., in particular, has remained the nation with one of the fastest growing case counts in the world. As a consequence, many other critical healthcare needs have not received the necessary resources or consideration. This commentary draws attention to substance use and opioid access during the ongoing crisis, given the potential for breakdowns in treatment access for addiction, the growing concern of mental health comorbidities, and the lack of access for those who require opioids for adequate pain management. Further, the commentary will offer policy and practice recommendations that may be implemented to provide more equitable distribution of care.
Subject(s)
Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use , COVID-19 , Health Services Accessibility , Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy , Practice Guidelines as Topic , Public Policy , Alcoholism , Buprenorphine/therapeutic use , Electronic Health Records , Harm Reduction , Humans , Internet of Things , Opiate Overdose/prevention & control , Opiate Substitution Treatment/methods , Opioid Epidemic , Pain Management , Palliative Care , Psychosocial Support Systems , SARS-CoV-2 , Telemedicine , United States , United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationABSTRACT
The United States is facing two devastating public health crises- the opioid epidemic and the COVID-19 pandemic. Within this context, one of the most ambitious implementation studies in addiction research is moving forward. Launched in May 2019, the HEALing Communities Study (HCS) was developed by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) as part of the Helping to End Addiction Long-termSM Initiative (National Institutes of Health, 2020). The goal for this research was to reduce opioid overdose deaths by 40 % in three years by enhancing and integrating the delivery of multiple evidence-based practices (EBPs) with proven effectiveness in reducing opioid overdose deaths across health care, justice, and community settings. This paper describes the initial vision, goals, and objectives of this initiative; the impact of COVID-19; and the potential for knowledge to be generated from HCS at the intersection of an unrelenting epidemic of opioid misuse and overdoses and the ravishing COVID-19 pandemic.
Subject(s)
Analgesics, Opioid/adverse effects , COVID-19/epidemiology , Evidence-Based Practice/methods , Opiate Overdose/mortality , Public Health/methods , Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use , COVID-19/prevention & control , Evidence-Based Practice/trends , Humans , Opiate Overdose/diagnosis , Opiate Overdose/prevention & control , Opioid-Related Disorders/diagnosis , Opioid-Related Disorders/drug therapy , Opioid-Related Disorders/mortality , Pandemics , Public Health/trends , United States/epidemiology , United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/trendsSubject(s)
Practice Patterns, Physicians'/legislation & jurisprudence , Substance-Related Disorders/therapy , Telemedicine/legislation & jurisprudence , COVID-19/epidemiology , Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, U.S./legislation & jurisprudence , Humans , Pandemics , Psychiatry/trends , SARS-CoV-2 , Substance-Related Disorders/epidemiology , Telemedicine/organization & administration , United States , United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration/legislation & jurisprudenceABSTRACT
The ubiquitous exposure to COVID-19 argues for governments to use a trauma-informed response as a universal precaution, with the goal of promoting the recovery and resilience of their residents. How a system defines trauma will drive its administrative policies, research, and clinical services. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach offers governments a framework to define trauma and incorporate trauma-informed principles and tasks into their COVID-19 responses. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Subject(s)
Coronavirus Infections , Mental Health Services/standards , Pandemics , Pneumonia, Viral , Psychological Trauma/diagnosis , Psychological Trauma/therapy , Adult , COVID-19 , Humans , Psychological Trauma/etiology , United States , United States Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services AdministrationABSTRACT
The United States is facing both the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and an ongoing epidemic of opioid overdose. Opioid use disorder is associated with other mental health problems, trauma, and social and health disparities. While the United States has acted to improve access to treatment for mental health and opioid use, research will be needed to understand the effectiveness of new policies in the context of COVID-19. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).