On May 10, 2023, APA Services joined the American Society of Addiction Medicine, the American College of Emergency Physicians, the American Psychiatric Association, and Faces & Voices of Recovery to brief members of Congress and their staff on the importance of improving access to the full spectrum of evidence-based addiction care in response to the ongoing drug overdose crisisopens in new window. The briefing was held in collaboration with the Bipartisan Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Task Force. Task force leaders Representatives Anne Kuster (D-New Hampshire) and David Trone (D-Maryland) spoke about their priorities for substance use disorder policy, including extending coverage for substance use treatment to incarcerated populations.
The panelists spoke to the need to prioritize prevention, health, wellness, and equity; ensure adequate coverage and reimbursement for evidence-based care, including psychosocial treatments; provide universal access to addiction medications, including methadone and buprenorphine; and strengthen the substance use treatment workforce.
Speaking on behalf of APA Services, psychologist Kelly Dunn, PhD, MBA, MS, highlighted the need to address gaps in access for Medicare beneficiaries with opioid and other substance use disorders, as well as the need to provide broad patient access to contingency management for the treatment of stimulant use disorders, and funding for prevention research at the National Institutes of Health. Dunn is the president-elect of the College on Problems of Drug Dependenceopens in new window, the oldest and largest organization in the United States dedicated to advancing a scientific approach to substance use disorders.
APA Services will continue to work with Representatives Kuster, Trone, and their colleagues, and with our partner organizations this year to reauthorize the Support for Patients and Communities Actopens in new window, and to address the continuing gaps in access to substance use prevention, treatment, and recovery services and supports.
For more information, contact Scott Barstow.
