State-Targeted Funding and Technical Assistance to Increase Access to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Abraham AJ, Andrews CM, Grogan CM, Pollack HA, D'Aunno T, Humphreys K, Friedmann PD. State-Targeted Funding and Technical Assistance to Increase Access to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.). 2018 Apr 1; 69(4):448-455.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

• RCS 04-141 – Evaluating Treatment & Self-help Methods of Improving Functioning & Quality of Life Outcomes of Patients with Substance Abuse Disorders

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Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: As the United States grapples with an opioid epidemic, expanding access to effective treatment for opioid use disorder is a major public health priority. Identifying effective policy tools that can be used to expand access to care is critically important. This article examines the relationship between state-targeted funding and technical assistance and adoption of three medications for treating opioid use disorder: oral naltrexone, injectable naltrexone, and buprenorphine. METHODS: This study draws from the 2013-2014 wave of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal study of substance use disorder treatment programs. The sample includes data from 695 treatment programs (85.5% response rate) and representatives from single-state agencies in 49 states and Washington, D.C. (98% response rate). Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships of single-state agency targeted funding and technical assistance to availability of opioid use disorder medications among treatment programs. RESULTS: State-targeted funding was associated with increased program-level adoption of oral naltrexone (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.49-6.60, p = .004) and buprenorphine (AOR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.31-4.67, p = .006). Buprenorphine adoption was also correlated with state technical assistance to support medication provision (AOR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.00-1.39, p = .049). CONCLUSIONS: State-targeted funding for medications may be a viable policy lever for increasing access to opioid use disorder medications. Given the historically low rates of opioid use disorder medication adoption in treatment programs, single-state agency targeted funding is a potentially important tool to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with opioid disorders and misuse.