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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 1 - 10 of 102

Medetomidine in the U.S. Illegal Fentanyl Supply Increasing Risk for Overdose and Severe Withdrawal Syndrome

This advisory warns that the veterinary sedative medetomidine is increasingly being found mixed with illicit fentanyl, leading to higher overdose risk and prolonged sedation unresponsive to naloxone, and urges clinicians and public health officials to enhance surveillance and preparedness.
Format
Advisory
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Patients
First Responders
States
Source
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Optimizing Opioid Overdose Response

This video series provides brief, practical guidance for clinicians on recognizing opioid overdose and implementing evidence‑based response strategies, including timely naloxone use and patient-centered follow‑up care.
Format
Webinar/Video
Audience
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Other Team Members
Source
American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Overdose Risk Assessment Tool: A Guide for Loved Ones and Allies (PDF - 595 KB KB)

This tool is a 15‑question self‑assessment designed to help people who use drugs (PWUD) identify factors that increase their risk of overdose and to support conversations with loved ones or allies about safety.
Format
Instrument/Protocol
Audience
Patients
Families
Communities
Source
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Behind the Numbers: Making Sense of Trends in the Drug Supply and Overdose Rates

This webinar recording explores why novel psychoactive substances and new markets have emerged in recent years and breaks down recent overdose data trends and gaps.
Format
Webinar/Video
Audience
States
Policymakers and Payers
Medical Providers
Behavioral Health Providers
Communities
Source
Overdose Prevention Network
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Evolving Overdose Response (PDF - 1771 KB KB)

These webinar slideshelp programs update their overdose response protocols when sedatives are in their local drug supply. Contents include xylazine basics, responding to an overdose with sedatives on board, different forms of naloxone, compassionate comebacks, and other tools programs may consider when responding to overdoses.
Format
Other
Audience
Communities
States
First Responders
Families
Source
Thomas Jefferson University
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Fentanyl Crisis and Narcan Overdose Prevention Guide for Families and Communities

This blog post discusses the trends and dangers of illicit fentanyl use. It highlights strategies to help recognize the signs of a fentanyl overdose and important steps to handling a suspected overdose.
Link
https://rehabnet.com/fentanyl-crisis-narcan-overdose-prevention/
Format
Web Page
Audience
Families
Communities
Source
RehabNet
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

Fentanyl Statistics 2025: Up-to-Date Facts on Abuse and Overdose

This article utilizes the most up-to-date statistics available to provide an accurate picture of the fentanyl crisis in 2024. For some statistics, the most up-to-date information will be cut off in 2021.
Format
Web Page
Audience
Policymakers and Payers
States
Communities
Source
Addiction Group
Year
Resource Type
Web Page