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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 1 - 10 of 137

Best Practices Toolkit: Addressing Homelessness and Addiction through "Treatment First"

This toolkit outlines a national“Treatment First” framework for addressing homelessness and addiction by prioritizing evidence-based treatment, recovery support, employment, housing stability, and long-term self-sufficiency through coordinated community partnerships and measurable outcomes.
Format
Toolkit
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Communities
Policymakers and Payers
States
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Billing and Financing

This page provides info on coding and billing for collaborative behavioral health care.

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

Innovations in Substance Use Care Delivery for Medicaid Members: A No Wrong Door Approach

This webinar highlights innovative approaches to improving substance use care for Medicaid members by connecting people to treatment through multiple entry points and expanding integrated, low barrier services across settings.
Format
Webinar/Video
Audience
Policymakers and Payers
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
States
Communities
Source
Center for Health Care Strategies (CHCS)
Year
Resource Type
Video

Integrating Physical and Behavioral Health: Addressing Co-occurring Mental Health and Substance Use Disorders with Chronic Physical Illnesses (PDF - 848 KB)

This paper describes how integrated physical and behavioral health care models can better serve people with co-occurring mental health, substance use, and chronic physical health conditions by using interdisciplinary teams, strong communication systems, and coordinated care across providers.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Peer Recovery Support Services Policy Landscape and Analysis (PDF - 1,930 KB)

This document provides a policy landscape and analysis of Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS), offering an overview of how states are defining, certifying, financing, and integrating the peer support workforce while also identifying policy gaps and opportunities for strengthening services.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Policymakers and Payers
States
Source
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Year
Resource Type
PDF

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

The Role of State Alcohol and Drug Agencies (PDF - 1290 KB)

This updated brief reviews the important role that State alcohol and drug agencies play in managing the publicly funded prevention, treatment, and recovery system. The brief notes that these agencies operate under different State statutes and regulations and vary in size, along with agency placement within government.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
States
Policymakers and Payers
Source
National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Agency Directors (NASADAD)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Tracking Medicaid-Covered Prescription Fills for Medications That Treat Opioid Use Disorder | Urban Institute

This Urban Institute data tool tracks national and state Medicaid prescription fills for buprenorphine, naltrexone, and naloxone to measure how access to medications for opioid use disorder and overdose prevention is changing over time and to inform policy and treatment efforts.
Format
Web Page
Audience
States
Policymakers and Payers
Medical Providers
Source
Urban Institute
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

2025 National Guidelines for a Behavioral Health Coordinated System of Crisis Care (PDF - 1.6 MB)

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