In 2021, drug-related overdose deaths topped 107,000. Despite a nearly 50% decrease in opioid prescribing over the past decade, drug overdose mortality continues to trend in the wrong direction. In the face of these devastating data, the nation needs to redouble its efforts to reduce the death and destruction arising from these issues and offer evidence-based treatment and action to all who need them.

As part of charting a path forward, the American Medical Association (AMA) and Manatt Health released a national policy roadmap in December 2020 with detailed recommendations for policymakers. In 2022, the AMA and Manatt released a more comprehensive state toolkit that expanded on the initial recommendations by describing specific tools and strategies for making progress across six major areas:

1. Increase access to evidence-based treatments to help patients with a substance use disorder (SUD).
2. Ensure access to addiction medicine, psychiatry and other trained physicians.
3. Enforce mental health and SUD parity laws.
4. Improve access to multidisciplinary, multimodal care for patients with pain.
5. Expand harm reduction efforts to reduce death and disease.
6. Improve public health data surveillance, monitoring and evaluation.

In this year’s report, “The Fight to End the Nation’s Overdose Epidemic and Restore Compassionate Care: Profiles in Leadership,” Manatt Health and the AMA highlight the work of more than 25 practicing physicians, policymakers, dedicated researchers and advocates who illustrate how the strategies across these six domains can be turned into reality.

To read the full report, click here.