Policymakers and community leaders play an important role in addressing opioids in our communities. This page highlights the most recently added resources specifically targeting elected and appointed government officials and staff members, members of the law enforcement community and first responders, and employees and volunteers of organizations. These resources, identified with orange tiles, include policy roadmaps, implementation guides, toolkits, education materials, sample legislation and other materials that can help you design and implement effective programs to prevent and address the consequences of opioid crisis.
If you’d like to submit materials for inclusion consideration or suggest a future featured topic, please visit CLOUD’s call for submissions page.
North Carolina researchers surveyed 350 North Carolina law enforcement officers about their experiences with needle-stick injuries (NSI), their perception of the risk of infection of HIV or hepatitis from a NSI, and their attitudes toward decriminalization of syringe exchange and distribution programs. Survey results showed that law enforcement officers
A 2017 policy brief from the Campaign for Trauma-Informed Policy and Practice, this report describes why strategies to address the opioid crisis will only be successful if we understand the connection between trauma and the roots of addiction. The brief also provides examples of effective prevention and treatment programs. Funding Source: Unknown
This January 2017 memorandum from the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy alerts federal agency staff to recommended changes in language use related to substance use and substance use disorders. The recommended changes in language use are intended to reduce stigma and support treatment for substance use disorders.
This report draws on knowledge gained from the Mayors’ Institute on Opioids which focused on assisting 6 communities in addressing their opioid related issues. This report describes the findings from this project, including emphasizing the need for cross-sector partnerships and integration, a focus on equity and reducing stigma, and innovative ways to use data to focus cross-agency partnerships.
Report of a study comparing opioid prescribing rates in 2016 by dentists in the United States and England. The authors found that the proportion of prescriptions written by US dentists was 37 times greater than the proportion written by English dentists. Funding Source: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, National Institutes of Health
This toolkit from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University provides guidance on using data to understand the nature and the scope of the opioid crisis and how to use data to help design population level responses to the opioid epidemic. Includes information from a population estimation study in rural West Virginia.
An analysis data by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention staff that shows that the incidence of multiple naloxone administrations by first responders increased significantly from 2012 to 2015 and varied by region of the country. Funding Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The Washington Department of Health developed these patient education guides in conjunction with the implementation of new opioid prescribing guidelines in the state. This patient guide discusses prescription opioids for acute pain.
The prescription monitoring program in Washington state sends prescribers a feedback report if one of 4 prescribing measures lies at or above the 95th percentile of all prescribers:. This is a sample feedback report. Funding Source: Washington State Department of Health
The legislation passed in Washington state directing the 5 medical commissions and boards in the state to develop opioid prescribing guidelines for their professions by January 1, 2019. Funding Source: Washington State Legislature