American Society of Addiction Medicine

In the fall of 2020, ASAM asked its members to answer a survey on structural racism in addiction medicine. The survey probed on two main areas. The first area was racism as it affects the health professionals who treat addiction. The second area was racism as it affects patients who suffer from addiction and the care they are able to access and receive.

The American Board of Medical Specialties’ (ABMS) approval of a four-year extension of the practice pathway in Addiction Medicine. This extension will allow physicians with substantial experience in the practice of Addiction Medicine, but who have not completed an ACGME-accredited fellowship in Addiction Medicine, to apply for the Addiction Medicine certification exam through the 2025 Exam Cycle.

The Oklahoma Society of Addiction Medicine (OKSAM) submitted a letter in support of SB674, which would dramatically expand access to addiction treatment by mandating that certain insurers cover telehealth.

On April 14, the Mental Health Liaison Group (MHLG), of which ASAM is a member, sent a letter in support of the Parity Enforcement Act (H.R. 1364), which would give the U.S. Department of Labor (USDOL) a critical tool to ensure health plan compliance with the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 (Federal Parity Act).

The Colorado Society of Addiction Medicine (COSAM) sent a letter to Governor Jared Polis in support of legislation which would expand access to naloxone.