The Coalition to Stop Opioid Overdose (CSOO) is pleased to welcome the American College of Medical Toxicology (ACMT) as a new member of the coalition. ACMT is a professional association of physicians who are Board Certified in Medical Toxicology. Since its inception in 1993, ACMT has worked to advance the practice of medical toxicology and advocates for the care of toxicologic patients and individuals with substance use disorders.

Today, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) issued their Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Action Plan. Congress included a provision in Section 13002 of the 21st Century Cutes Act requiring HHS to create this Action Plan detailing recent and planned actions from the Departments of HHS, Labor, and Treasury related to ongoing implementation of the Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).

In comments to the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee’s Opioid Crisis Response Act of 2018, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) today praised committee leadership for addressing the nation’s opioid addiction epidemic and offered legislative recommendations that would increase access to and improve the overall quality of addiction treatment.

ASAM applauds Senator Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Rob Portman (R-OH) for introducing the Enhancing Access to Addiction Treatment Act of 2018. This legislation would establish a new pathway to obtain a DATA waiver and train more new physicians to prescribe medication-assisted treatment.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and the American Medical Association (AMA) jointly announced today the release of a concept paper detailing a groundbreaking alternative payment model (APM) that could revolutionize how patients with opioid use disorder are treated.

The American Society of Addiction Medicine is pleased to hear that The ASAM Criteria was included in today’s discussion about solutions to combat the opioid misuse and overdose crisis. Addressing this public health emergency will require systemic and sustainable changes to our addiction treatment infrastructure and workforce, as well as expanded access to comprehensive, evidenced-based treatment that includes all levels of care. 

During ASAM’s 2018 Annual Conference, ASAM’s Board of Directors approved of three new policy statements: Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs), E-Cigarettes, and the Role of Recovery in Addiction Care.

ASAM is pleased to offer a letter of support for S. 2589, the Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Act, introduced by Shelly Moore Capito (ME) and Senator Maggie Hassan (NH). This legislation will create competitive grants to operate Comprehensive Opioid Recovery Centers that provide a full range of treatment and recovery services, such as medication assisted treatment, recovery housing, job training and supported reintegration into the workforce, counseling, and community-based and peer recovery support services.