HHS has a comprehensive strategy to empower local communities on the frontlines. The opioid epidemic is one of the Department’s top priorities.
1. Access: Better Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services
HHS issued over $800 million in grants in 2017 to support treatment, prevention, and recovery, while making it easier for states to receive waivers to cover treatment through their Medicaid programs. (Issued 5 such SUD waivers since PHE declaration.)
2. Data: Better Data on the Epidemic
HHS is improving our understanding of the crisis by supporting more timely, specific public health data and reporting, including through accelerating CDC’s reporting of drug overdose data.
3. Pain: Better Pain Management
HHS wants to ensure everything we do — payments, prescribing guidelines, and more — promotes healthy, evidence-based methods of pain management.
5. Research: Better Research on Pain and Addiction
HHS supports cutting edge research on pain and addiction, including through a new NIH public-private partnership.