Opioid Epidemic and Policy: Where have we been and where are we now?

Overview:

This is a 90-minute recording of a live webinar.

The current opioid epidemic exists in the context of unique drivers and circumstances including pharmaceutical marketing, business decisions of illicit drug distributors, stigma, inadequate medical and behavioral health systems, social determinants of health, among other factors. Response to this public health crisis has mobilized release of new guidance materials, legislation, funding, and policy change to address prevention, treatment, and recovery. Response to opioid use as a public health concern, however, is not new. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the history of opioid crisis and response, and the policy and programmatic response to the current crisis, including how the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act) is guiding current federal response. A systems mapping framework will be used to describe how specific policy actions fit into the overall response effort, and the populations affected.