The opioid crisis is complex. Together, we can overcome it.
Every day, an estimated 130 Americans die from an opioid overdose – a grim statistic that has devastated families and communities around the nation. Due to the complex and urgent nature of the epidemic, reversing the opioid crisis will require a multi-sectoral and multi-pronged response; no organization, government agency, or sector can solve this crisis on its own.
To improve coordination and accelerate the pace of change, the National Academy of Medicine has partnered with the Aspen Institute and more than 60 participants across the different sectors to form the Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic, representing critical stakeholder organizations across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. The Action Collaborative is committed to developing, curating, and disseminating multi-sector solutions designed to reduce opioid misuse and improve outcomes for individuals, families, and communities affected by the opioid crisis.
About the Action Collaborative
The Action Collaborative conducts its work around four core priority areas: Health Professional Education and Training; Pain Management Guidelines and Evidence Standards; Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services; and Research, Data, and Metrics Needs.
The Action Collaborative produces discussion papers to advance the field and accelerate action where the evidence dictates; conducts outreach; and leads convenings, webinars, and other special events to accelerate the translation of the most promising opportunities to reverse the opioid crisis.
Questions? Contact us at opioidcollaborative@nas.edu.
The COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating ongoing public health emergencies, including the addiction crisis in the US. During these challenging times, the Collaborative remains wholly committed to supporting the health and well-being of individuals with substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder and chronic pain. These individuals are among the most at risk and susceptible to COVID-19, and their care and treatment are among the most disrupted by physical distancing and other measures that have been put into place to prevent the spread of the virus.
Members of the Collaborative’s Steering Committee have identified a series of priorities and strategies for providers, health systems, researchers, policymakers, regulators, and health leaders alike to preserve the health and well-being of individuals with SUD and chronic pain.
New Discussion Paper from the Action Collaborative on Countering the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
Publication Summary
The US is in the midst of an unprecedented crisis of prescription and illicit opioid misuse, use disorder, and overdose. Although the crisis has affected large swaths of the US population, it has impacted certain segments of the population with an extra level of intensity—justice-involved populations, rural populations, veterans, adolescents and young adults, and people who inject drugs. Research has clearly shown that solutions for the opioid overdose epidemic are not one size fits all, and special attention should be paid to these populations that may be suffering unduly.
The discussion paper “The American Opioid Epidemic in Special Populations: Five Examples” focuses on these five identified populations and, for each, reviews why the population warrants focused attention, current barriers encountered in accessing care, promising approaches in supporting this population, and high-impact research and action priorities.
Action Collaborative Leadership
Victor Dzau, Chair
ADM Brett Giroir, Co-Chair
Ruth Katz, Co-Chair
Jonathan Perlin, Co-Chair
Action Collaborative Staff
Elizabeth Finkelman, Director
Aisha Salman, Program Officer
Rebecca Sullenger, Research Assistant
Jarrett Nguyen, Program Specialist
Jenna Ogilvie, Deputy Director, Communications
Action Collaborative Working Groups
Click here to view members of our four working groups.
Sponsors
- Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education
- Aetna
- American Hospital Association
- American Medical Association
- American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
- Arnold Ventures
- Association of American Medical Colleges
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- CDC Foundation
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Council of Medical Specialty Societies
- Federation of State Medical Boards
- HCA Healthcare
- National Institute on Drug Abuse
- Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs
Related Publications
- Combatting the Stigma of Addiction – The Need for a Comprehensive Health Systems Approach
- Improving Access to Evidence-Based Medical Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder: Strategies to Address Key Barriers Within the Treatment System
- First Do No Harm: Marshalling Clinician Leadership in Response to the U.S. Opioid Epidemic
- Dismantling Buprenorphine Policy Can Provide More Comprehensive Addiction Treatment
- Opportunities to Improve Opioid Use Disorder and Infectious Disease Services: Integrating Responses to a Dual Epidemic
- Framing Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Acute Pain
- Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Save Lives
- Medications for Opioid Use Disorder Save Lives )
- Pain Management and the Opioid Epidemic: Balancing Societal and Individual Risks and Benefits of Prescription Opioid Use
- Related Reports from the National Academies Press
Contact us at opioidcollaborative@nas.edu