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AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Substance Use Tools & Resources   

Read the Guide

This collection of tools and resources is for providers, staff, and patients who offer or use services to address substance use, and other interested stakeholders. This collection was originally established following an environmental scan on implementing medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) in rural primary care. (See PDFs of Volume 1 (PDF - 609 KB) and Volume 2 (PDF - 1.3 MB) of that scan). Items have been continuously added to this collection since then, and the collection has expanded to cover substance use more broadly, rather than just MAT for OUD.

Displaying 71 - 80 of 1004

Substance Use Screenings & Treatment (PDF - 3.3 MB KB)

This document provides comprehensive guidelines on screening, treating, and billing for substance use disorders (SUDs).

Format
Guide
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Telehealth Policy Finder

State-level policy information related to telehealth, including for Medicaid, Medicare and parity for private insurance.

Format
Web Page
Audience
Other Team Members
Policymakers and Payers
States
Source
Center for Connected Health Policy
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

The challenge of benzodiazepines in older adults (PDF - 300 KB KB)

In this letter, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) provides advice on reducing long-term benzodiazepine prescriptions for older adults. The letter warns that long-term use leads to adverse health events like cognitive decline, unintended drug interactions, and falls. The letter provides guidance on how to promote patient-centered, evidence-based approaches to evaluating benzodiazepine use.
Format
Advisory
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

The Mental Health Parity Index

This web page provides a tool for visualizing commercial health insurance data to analyze access to and coverage of mental health and substance use services.
Format
Web Page
Audience
Policymakers and Payers
Graduate Education
Source
The Kennedy Forum
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

The state of opioid overdose and response in the U.S. 2025 (PDF - 5.5 MB KB)

This report details state-level data and recommendations for action across the continuum of services and supports for opioid use, including prevention, treatment, and recovery.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
States
Policymakers and Payers
Source
Mental Health America (MHA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Training: Assessing and Addressing Opioid Use Disorder

This resource provides training on opioid use disorder is diagnosed using the DSM-5 assessment criteria, how to discuss this diagnosis with patients, and how to treat opioid use disorder.

Format
Web-Based Course
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Other Team Members
Source
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Year
Resource Type
Video

Use of Alternative Payment Models for Substance Use Disorder Prevention: A Conceptual Framework (PDF - 271 KB KB)

In 2023, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) convened an expert panel to refine a conceptual framework for using Alternative payment models (APMs) for SUD prevention and to identify strategies to encourage their adoption. The conceptual framework is a viable method for financing a variety of prevention programs across populations and settings.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Policymakers and Payers
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Using SAMHSA Funds to Implement Evidence-Based Contingency Management Services (PDF - 430 KB KB)

This Advisory describes a change in funding for Contingency Management (CM) and applicable guardrails. It also outlines the evidence underlying CM and permissible uses of funding for this treatment intervention. At this time, the change in funding applies only to State Opioid Response (SOR) and Tribal Opioid Response (TOR) grants (subject to an update to grant terms and conditions).
Format
Advisory
Audience
States
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF