The United States is in the midst of the worst drug crisis in its history. In 2017, nearly 50,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose, including more than 2,000 Californians. Addressing the epidemic requires responses from multiple sectors of the healthcare system.

For the California Health Care Foundation (CHCF), Manatt Health created a toolkit for health plans implementing opioid safety initiatives. The toolkit showcases best practices and success stories and provides practical tools across five areas:

• Leadership and Change Management: How to mobilize the organization to implement change
• Provider Network: How to ensure a health plan’s provider network provides safer pain management and evidence-based addiction treatment
• Medical Management: How to coordinate care for high-risk members
• Pharmacy Benefit: How to safely reduce new opioid starts and streamline access to buprenorphine and naloxone
• Member Services: How to offer resources for members and their families/caregivers to learn about opioid safety and pain management

This toolkit is based on work by Smart Care California, a public-private partnership supported by CHCF, and was informed by a literature review and conversations with health plan leaders across the state. The toolkit translates those leaders’ experiences into actionable steps and tools. Throughout each of the toolkit’s sections, there are real-world examples of health plans’ experiences in executing their initiatives. Tools such as a model work plan, project management checklist, infographics and more are provided, all of which can be customized to suit individual organizations’ needs.

Click here to view the toolkit.