(Adopted November 2017)

Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental health in the United States, driven by opioid addiction.  The majority of people with identified substance use disorders do not receive appropriate care or treatment. Barriers to care lie in lack of access, variation in treatment, and because substance use is highly stigmatized. This workgroup met from December 2016 to November 2017, built on the work of the 2016 Washington State Interagency Opioid Working Plan, and developed the following focus areas:

• Access to evidence-based treatment
  • Medication treatment: buprenorphine, methadone, naltrexone (e.g., increase geographic reach, increase number of providers)
  • Reduction in stigma associated with treatment
• Referral information
  • Providers and patients know where to access care
  • Accessible inventory of buprenorphine and methadone prescribers
  • Referral infrastructure that supports patients and providers
• Integrated behavioral and physical health to support whole-person care
  • Treatment of comorbid conditions including multiple substance use, mental illness, and physical health in line with Behavioral Health Integration Report and Recommendations

Implementation Tools

Opioid Use Disorder Webinar

Supporting Materials

Letter from the Health Care Authority Accepting the Total Knee and Total Hip Replacement Bundle and Warranty and the Opioid Use Disorder Treatment and Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias Report and Recommendations
Opioid Use Disorder Treatment Charter and Roster

Workgroup Members