The Partnership to Amend 42 CFR Part 2 wrote to the Director of the Department of Health and Human Services' Office for Civil Rights urging the opening of a rulemaking process to amend 42 CFR Part 2.

The Partnership to Amend 42 CFR Part 2 (of which ASAM is a member) submitted comments to the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology on the draft Strategy on Reducing Regulatory and Administrative Burden Relating to the Use of Health IT and EHRs.

The Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose (CSOO) is thrilled to welcome the National Association for Behavioral Healthcare (NABH) as a new member of the coalition. NABH represents provider systems that are committed to the high-quality clinical care for people with mental health and substance use disorders.

Given the recognition of addiction medicine as a medical subspecialty by ABMS, with an established curriculum and training standards and a new certification pathway, ASAM believed it was timely and appropriate to request a new taxonomy code that would capture the distinctive nature of this area of specialty practice.

ASAM submitted comments to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in response to a request for comment ahead of a public advisory committee meeting regarding strategies to increase the availability of naloxone products intended for use in the community.

US Surgeon General Jerome M. Adams issued a rare public health Advisory declaring the use of e-cigarettes an “epidemic among our nation’s young people.” The Advisory provides information to parents, educators, and health professionals on new types of e-cigarettes on the market, including JUUL, and the negative health consequences of youth use of these products.

ASAM has released a set of evidence-informed policy recommendations for preventing alcohol and drug-related problems in contemporary society. The policy recommendations were approved by the ASAM Board of Directors and have been endorsed by the American College of Preventive Medicine.

The leading association for addiction treatment professionals noted that while H.R. 6 is a critical step toward stemming the nation’s opioid overdose epidemic, more work remains to ensure that patients receive whole-person, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder.