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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 0.69 MB] and Volume 2 [PDF 1.28 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 1 - 10 of 132

2025 National Guidelines for a Behavioral Health Coordinated System of Crisis Care (PDF - 1596 KB)

This new publication provides guidance and highlight effective practices for crisis care services across the country. SAMHSA has identified the essential elements for an effective crisis continuum such that everyone in the nation has a robust system that meets their needs, one that includes “someone to contact, someone to respond, and a safe place for help.”

Format
Guide
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Other Team Members
Policymakers and Payers
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Contingency Management for Adults with Substance Use Disorder: Evidence Roundup

This Better Care Playbook Evidence Roundup highlights emerging evidence on the effectiveness of contingency management interventions and strategies to scale implementation.
Format
Web Page
Audience
Policymakers and Payers
States
Behavioral Health Providers
Source
Center for Health Care Strategies
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Primary Care Practice Toolkit

This toolkit provides comprehensive guidance on implementing clinical guidelines and billing
practices to effectively integrate MOUD into clinical environments. 

Link
https://groupmosaic.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/01/Mosaic-Group-MOUD-Toolkit-for-Primary-Care.pdf
Format
Guide
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Mosaic Group
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Module 5: Planning for Funding and Sustainability

This module discusses the key issues in planning for sustainability of health programs in rural communities.

Format
Web-Based Course
Audience
Communities
Other Team Members
Policymakers and Payers
States
Source
Rural Health Information Hub
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Quick Guide on Medicare Payments for Office-Based Substance Use Disorder Services

In January 2021, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) announced that the bundled payments for the overall treatment of OUD can be used for any substance use disorder or treating several at one time. This quick guide summarizes the codes that can be used to bill for these services.

Format
Guide
Audience
Other Team Members
Policymakers and Payers
Source
University of Washington AIMS Center
Year
Resource Type
PDF

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

A Federally Qualified Health Center and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic Partnership in Rural Missouri (PDF - 168 KB)

This case study explores implementation of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) through a partnership between a Missouri-based federally qualified health center (FQHC) and Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC).
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Centers for Health Care Strategies (CHCS)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Basic Coding for Integrated Behavioral Health Care (PDF - 350 KB)

Grade B

The document reviews billing codes for integrated behavioral health care, including substance use services.

Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Source
University of Washington
Year
Resource Type
PDF