Goals and Guiding Principles

Vision of the Action Collaborative

A continuously learning system that performs optimally in promoting, protecting, and restoring the mental, physical, and social health and well-being of individuals and populations.

Mission of the Action Collaborative

To convene and catalyze public, private, and non-profit stakeholders to develop, curate, and disseminate multi-sector solutions designed to reduce substance misuse and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities affected by the evolving substance use and opioid crises. 

Goals of the Action Collaborative

1. Identify and raise the visibility of complex challenges, outstanding research gaps, and needs of the evolving substance use and opioid crises that require a collective, multi-sectoral response;
2. Elevate and accelerate evidence-based, multi-sectoral, and interprofessional solutions to improve outcomes for those affected by the evolving substance use and opioid crises; and
3. Catalyze action on shared priorities and solutions to help overcome the crises and improve outcomes for all.

Priority Focus Areas

Since its inception in 2018, the Action Collaborative has focused on high-priority issue areas to address critical drivers of the crisis. In Phases I and II (2018–2022), priority focus areas included health professional education and training; pain management guidelines and evidence standards; prevention, treatment, and recovery; and research, data and metrics needs. In alignment with the Phase III strategy and evolution of the substance use crisis, the Action Collaborative’s approach to addressing the evolving substance use and opioid crises is currently focused on three core priority areas:

• Education, Practice, and Health Systems: Fostering interprofessional collaboration, learning leadership, and creativity that enables collective action to embed the continuous improvement of substance use care within a national learning health system.
• Prevention, Data, and Research: Advancing health equity through the continuum of prevention and data-informed research and action.
• SUD Framework: Developing an equity-driven framework that outlines how systems-thinking can be used to catalyze an actionable and multi-sectoral response to the evolving substance use and opioid crises.

Guiding Principles of the Action Collaborative

Participating members of the National Academy of Medicine’s Action Collaborative on Combatting Substance Use and Opioid Crises adhere to the following principles to achieve the Action Collaborative’s mission:

• Interprofessional collaboration and collective action. The extensive and multifactorial nature of the substance use crisis necessitates interprofessional and multi-sectoral solutions. The Action Collaborative is committed to bringing together leaders across sectors to identify common priorities and develop shared solutions.
• Coordination and alignment. Numerous initiatives, reports, guidelines, and recommendations to stem the epidemic have already been developed. The Action Collaborative will work to advance and strengthen coordination, information-sharing, and alignment across all stakeholders.
• Inclusivity and engagement. The Action Collaborative is committed to an open, transparent, and dynamic process, and will create opportunities for input and engagement from all those impacted by the crisis.
• Scientific excellence and rigor. The Action Collaborative will uphold a commitment to high-quality, objective, and evidence-informed practices, priorities, and solutions, derived from the best available evidence and information.
• Innovation and value creation. The Action Collaborative will continuously strive to identify areas of unmet need and create innovative products with clear and novel benefit, avoiding efforts that are ineffective, redundant, or duplicative.
• Health equity. The Action Collaborative will seek solutions that promote health equity across populations and do not create or exacerbate health disparities.
• Dissemination and impact. The Action Collaborative is committed to broad dissemination of knowledge, resources, and evidence-based solutions, as well as facilitating their uptake and translation into practice. The Action Collaborative will strive to provide guidance that is not only translatable but also scalable and sustainable.
• Monitoring and evaluation. The Action Collaborative will build continuous monitoring and evaluation into its work plan to ensure measurable progress toward its stated goals.