Behavioral health operators and regulators have largely advocated integrating substance use disorder (SUD) screenings and primary care to improve access to treatment. New evidence underscores the importance of this integration and the extent to which mental health and substance use overlap. More than 20% of people who die of drug overdoses also have mental health […]

Measurement-based care has been hailed by payers and providers as essential to promoting evidence-based, individualized treatment. Substance use disorder (SUD) providers hoping to craft new reimbursement arrangements or improve patient outcomes must establish robust internal measurement systems. Collecting patient data alone does not drive change, however. Providers must also leverage their findings to adjust treatment […]

The behavioral health industry generally isn’t as entwined and reliant on the pharmaceutical industry as the rest of the health care industry. This creates a wide open space for innovative approaches to care. But there are powerful reasons behind why that space exists. Even so, as things stand today, the addiction treatment industry has the […]

The federal government has extended COVID-era telehealth flexibilities twice since their creation. These flexibilities are now set to expire in December 2024, putting “life-saving” care at risk, behavioral health industry insiders caution. Some substance use disorder (SUD) providers are now making plans to pivot their clinical models if flexibilities are not cemented, partnering with local […]

Many behavioral health providers have traditionally operated in silos, leaving patients to navigate a fragmented system of care for substance use disorders (SUDs), mental illnesses and other co-occurring conditions.  SUD providers are now working to break down these barriers and offer more comprehensive, holistic treatments that address the full spectrum of a patient’s needs by […]

Quick access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) is crucial to reducing the impact of the opioid crisis. However, certain communities are more likely to have access to these medications than others. Pharmacies in socially and economically disadvantaged counties are 2.66 times more likely to restrict buprenorphine dispensing compared to the most privileged counties, […]

While outpatient services are the hot topic in substance use disorder (SUD) care, some providers are continuing to see residential care drive their bottom line. Addiction provider Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation (HBFF) is seeing an uptick in net patient service revenues driven mainly by higher utilization of detox services and residential treatment. That’s according to […]

Landing in a hospital is a bad sign for the health journey of someone with an opioid use disorder (OUD). However, new research shows that in-hospital interventions can have substantial clinical payoffs when it comes to initiating medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) after discharge. Researchers at the New York University Grossman School of Medicine […]

A new federal report found that 48.5 million Americans aged 12 and up had a substance use disorder (SUD) in 2023. Only 4.5% of this group received treatment for their condition. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) identified this discrepancy in its newly released 2023 National Survey on Drug Use and Health.  […]

The substance use disorder (SUD) treatment industry has experienced significant challenges and breakthroughs in 2024, but a handful of providers are emerging as ones to watch in the coming year. The SUD dealmaking space has stayed stale thus far in 2024. While deals once flowed freely, only 10 closed in the first half of the […]