Characterizing Opioid Use Disorder Encounters in the Midwest Region, USA.

Introduction: The opioid epidemic has taken its toll on the Midwest, a census region of the USA. The Midwest includes two census divisions: East North Central and West North Central. This study aimed (1) to characterize patient encounters of opioid use disorder (OUD) in the Midwest using the Health Facts database; and (2) to compare selected patient and facility characteristics between the two census divisions.

Examining Geographic Variation of Opioid Use Disorder Encounters in the USA.

Objectives: The objectives were (1) to characterize patient encounters of opioid use disorder (OUD) using Health Facts database; and (2) to identify geographic variation, patient characteristics, and facility characteristics impacting patients' reduced OUD encounters over time.

Methods: Patient encounters were included if the patient (1) was 18 years old or greater; (2) had an index encounter; (3) survived at least 30 days after the discharge. The OUD encounter was based on ICD-10 codes.

Virtual training and technical assistance: a shift in behavioral health workforce access and perceptions of services during emergency restrictions.

Background: To respond to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration-funded Technology Transfer Centers had to rapidly adapt to ensure that the behavioral health workforce had continuous access to remote training and technical assistance (TTA). Although the Technology Transfer Centers have historically relied partially upon virtual methods for delivering TTA, the shift to a strictly virtual approach necessitated by COVID-19 restrictions has raised new questions for how to best proceed with services when social distancing guidelines are relaxed. The objective of this exploratory paper was to compare TTA provision in the six-month period prior to (9/1/19 thru 2/28/20) and during (4/1/20 thru 9/30/20) early COVID-19 restrictions to determine the extent to which the shift to virtual service provision impacted the behavioral health and medical workforce.

Dismantling racism against Black, Indigenous, and people of color across the substance use continuum: A position statement of the association for multidisciplinary education and research in substance use and addiction.

The Association for Multidisciplinary Education and Research in Substance Use and Addiction (AMERSA) acknowledges that racism profoundly affects persons who use alcohol and other drugs. Racism's deadly effects compounded with other social determinants of health result in a cascade of negative impacts. The AMERSA Board of Directors (BOD) proposes an initial set of strategies to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion using a framework that speaks to four key AMERSA experiences: engagement, education, mentorship, and leadership.