Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR&D Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

State-Targeted Funding and Technical Assistance to Increase Access to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder.

Abraham AJ, Andrews CM, Grogan CM, Pollack HA, D'Aunno T, Humphreys K, Friedmann PD. State-Targeted Funding and Technical Assistance to Increase Access to Medication Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.). 2018 Apr 1; 69(4):448-455.

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.
   Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions



Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: As the United States grapples with an opioid epidemic, expanding access to effective treatment for opioid use disorder is a major public health priority. Identifying effective policy tools that can be used to expand access to care is critically important. This article examines the relationship between state-targeted funding and technical assistance and adoption of three medications for treating opioid use disorder: oral naltrexone, injectable naltrexone, and buprenorphine. METHODS: This study draws from the 2013-2014 wave of the National Drug Abuse Treatment System Survey, a nationally representative, longitudinal study of substance use disorder treatment programs. The sample includes data from 695 treatment programs (85.5% response rate) and representatives from single-state agencies in 49 states and Washington, D.C. (98% response rate). Logistic regression was used to examine the relationships of single-state agency targeted funding and technical assistance to availability of opioid use disorder medications among treatment programs. RESULTS: State-targeted funding was associated with increased program-level adoption of oral naltrexone (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 3.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.49-6.60, p = .004) and buprenorphine (AOR = 2.47, 95% CI = 1.31-4.67, p = .006). Buprenorphine adoption was also correlated with state technical assistance to support medication provision (AOR = 1.18, 95% CI = 1.00-1.39, p = .049). CONCLUSIONS: State-targeted funding for medications may be a viable policy lever for increasing access to opioid use disorder medications. Given the historically low rates of opioid use disorder medication adoption in treatment programs, single-state agency targeted funding is a potentially important tool to reduce mortality and morbidity associated with opioid disorders and misuse.





Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.