U.S. flag

An official website of the Department of Health & Human Services

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 81 - 90 of 1008

Prescribing Controlled Psychostimulants for Stimulant Use Disorder (PDF - 2.4 MB KB)

This guide recommends that trained physicians consider prescribing certain psychostimulants for the treatment of cocaine use disorder and amphetamine-type stimulant use disorder.
Format
Guide
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
States
Policymakers and Payers
Source
American Society of Addiction Medicine
Year
Resource Type
PDF

PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) - Scoring Guide (PDF - 662 KB KB)

This is a guide for scoring the PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5) that was posted by the Canadian ADHD Resource Alliance (CADDRA).

Format
Instrument/Protocol
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Medical Providers
Source
The National Center for PTSD
Year
Resource Type
PDF

Quick Guide to Over-the-Counter Naloxone (PDF - 519 KB KB)

This guide highlights naloxone, a lifesaving medication that reverses an opioid overdose. It includes information on when to carry naloxone, how to recognize an overdose, and when and how to use naloxone.
Format
Fact Sheet/Brochure
Audience
Communities
Families
Patients
Other Team Members
First Responders
Source
National Council for Mental Wellbeing
Year
Resource Type
PDF

RxAssist - Patient Assistance Programs

This page provides info on free and low-cost medications for patients who struggle to afford them.

Format
Web Page
Audience
Behavioral Health Providers
Families
Medical Providers
Patients
Source
RxAssist
Year
Resource Type
Web Page

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