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AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

Substance Use Tools & Resources   

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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 161

Advisory: Addressing Cannabis Use Disorder in Primary Care Settings—A Lifespan Approach (PDF - 2.2 MB)

The advisory explains that cannabis use disorder is increasingly common across all ages and urges primary care providers to routinely screen, educate, and tailor evidence based interventions to patients’ developmental stage to reduce risks and improve outcomes.
Format
Advisory
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Best Clinical Practices for Treating Opioid Use Disorder in Pregnancy and the Postpartum Period

This course reviews the historical and current context of opioid use of women during pregnancy. It compares pharmacological treatment options for OUD and discusses issues with detoxification or medically assisted withdrawal from opioids during pregnancy.

Format
Web-Based Course
Audience
Medical Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Providers Clinical Support System (PCSS)
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Empowering Rural Communities: Overcoming Barriers to Treatment (PDF - 687 KB)

This webinar highlights the unique challenges rural communities face in accessing substance use disorder treatment and presents innovative, community-driven strategies—such as mobile clinics, telehealth, and local partnerships—to expand care and build recovery‑ready environments.
Format
Webinar/Video
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Communities
Source
Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network
Year
Resource Type
PDF

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

Rural-Urban Variation in Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Access Among Commercially Insured Children and Adolescents (PDF - 546 KB)

This policy brief examines how rural and urban differences affect access to opioid use disorder treatment for commercially insured children and adolescents, finding that rural youth face greater travel burdens, fewer specialized providers, and slightly lower service use.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Communities
States
Policymakers and Payers
Source
University of Washington WWAMI Rural Health Research Center
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Understanding ASAM Criteria: A Foundational Overview and 4th Edition Highlights

This webinar provides an overview of the ASAM Criteria and its 2023 fourth edition updates, emphasizing a patient centered evidence based framework for assessing and treating substance use disorders with practical guidance on screening, level of care decisions, and continuity of care across settings including corrections and reentry.
Format
Webinar/Video
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Other Team Members
Source
Addiction Technology Transfer Center (ATTC) Network
Year
Resource Type
Video

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

Challenges in Standardizing SUD Care Coordination (PDF - 309 KB)

This brief identifies key challenges to achieving standardization in substance use disorder (SUD) care coordination and offers solutions to create a reliable and fair system of care.
Format
Report/Paper/Issue Brief
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Other Team Members
Communities
Source
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Combatting Stigma with Knowledge

This blog post discusses substance use disorders and their associated stigma. It highlights how improved knowledge about substance use disorders can combat stigma.

Format
Web Page
Audience
Communities
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Source
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Year
Resource Type
Web Page