National Advocacy
Individualized Pathways
We champion policies that empower the addiction specialty workforce and their patients to make personalized treatment decisions that are right for them.
Make Methadone Treatment Accessible
Of the three approved medications to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), methadone may be the best option for certain patients due to it being the only full-agonist opioid, and therefore uniquely positioned to treat individuals with high-potency synthetic opioid use. However, with few exceptions, outdated law restricts outpatient access to just over 2,000 federally certified opioid treatment programs (OTPs), making it difficult, if not impossible, for patients to access. This is especially concerning in rural areas with limited OTPs; Wyoming, for example, has zero.
ASAM supports efforts that would permit board-certified addiction specialist physicians and other trained physicians to prescribe methadone for OUD treatment that can be picked up at a local pharmacy. Such practice would be subject to federal and/or state rules and guidance on supply of methadone for unsupervised use and would require a special registration from the DEA.
Expanded access would empower qualified physicians and their patients to make the healthcare decisions that are right for them when seeking methadone treatment for OUD.
Resources
- Policy Guides: Methadone Treatment for OUD and Changes to Federal Regulations Governing Methadone Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
- Educational Policy Round: Improving Access to Methadone for OUD in Federally Qualified Health Centers
- Key Legislation: Stakeholders Urge Congress to Pass the Modernizing Opioid Treatment Access Act (MOTAA) 11/12/24
- Testimony: A Crisis in Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Care: Closing Gaps in Access by Bringing Care and Prevention to Communities 5/17/23
Optimize Telemedicine for Addiction Care
The ability to receive critical and urgent addiction care via telemedicine has become a lifeline for patients, particularly in rural, remote, and underserved geographic areas. Specifically, telemedicine initiation of prescriptions for lifesaving addiction medications, such as buprenorphine, can help patients who find themselves in crisis situations and unable to physically reach a clinic. But this important flexibility is set to expire in December 2025.
To make this flexibility permanent, a final, non-special registration telemedicine rule for buprenorphine was published in January 2025. The rule is currently subject to a temporary freeze by the Trump administration.
ASAM calls upon the DEA and HHS to uphold the Expansion of Buprenorphine Treatment via Telemedicine Encounter final rule, which would preserve telemedicine initiation flexibility for schedule III-V controlled medications approved for use in the treatment of OUD, such as buprenorphine, ultimately getting patients access to lifesaving medications as soon as possible.
Resources
Blog: DEA Publishes New Telemedicine Rules 2/7/25
Public Policy Statement: Optimizing Telehealth Access to Addiction Care
Improve Treatment Engagement and Retention for Nonabstinent Patients
In a patient’s journey to overcome addiction, periods of nonabstinence are common.
To support all patients on their path to recovery, ASAM advocates for policies that allow addiction treatment professionals and addiction treatment programs to provide quality care for this population.
This includes reconsidering how to appropriately reimburse clinicians for their efforts to re-engage and retain patients, reducing barriers to telehealth services, and reevaluating policies that limit treatment access for nonabstinent patients.
Resources
Clinical Recommendations: Engagement and Retention of Nonabstinent Patients in Substance Use Treatment
Public Policy Statement: Reducing Risk of Federal Investigation or Prosecution for Prescribing Controlled Addiction Medications for Legitimate Medical Purposes
Policy Series: Advancing Racial Justice and Health Equity In the Context of Addiction Medicine
Public Policy Statement: Overdose Prevention Sites
Eliminate Pharmacy Access Barriers
Pharmacists play a crucial role in a patient’s addiction care, helping to ensure the safe and effective use of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUDs), such as buprenorphine. Despite buprenorphine being the most common medication treatment for OUD, patients still face difficulties accessing this medication at pharmacies. This is due to multiple reasons, such as pharmacies failing to sufficiently stock this medication out of fear of triggering a suspicious order report (SOR).
ASAM calls for Congress to exempt controlled medications approved by the FDA for the treatment of SUD from federal SOR requirements. ASAM has also urged the DEA and HHS to not enforce SOR requirements for buprenorphine in order to ensure timely patient access to this lifesaving treatment.
Resources
Public Policy Statement: The Role of Pharmacists in Medications for Addiction Treatment
Practice Management Resources: Pharmacy Access to MOUDs
Promote Access to Quality Recovery Residences
Recovery residences, sometimes referred to as “sober homes” or “recovery homes,” are community programs operated in home-like settings that give people the opportunity to practice interpersonal and life skills in a structured environment. This may be recommended for some people with addiction as an addition to outpatient level of care.
The structure and community support provided by recovery residences can be immensely beneficial for certain people with addiction. However, there are several barriers that limit patient access to these residences and subsequently hinder their potential impact. These challenges include:
Inconsistent regulation, which have led to issues with safety, quality of care, fraud, and abuse
Failure of clinical recovery residences to assess residents’ need for FDA-approved addiction medications
Rejection of residents who are treated with FDA-approved addiction medications such as buprenorphine and methadone
To overcome these access barriers, ASAM supports policies that would:
Require appropriate quality measures for and credentialing of recovery residences, including mandating that clinical recovery residences meet ASAM Level 3.1 program standards
Increase funding for recovery residences and recovery support services at these residences
Promote research to understand which services within recovery residences maximally reduce harms of substance use and overdose risk and what determinants best match patients with the most appropriate type of recovery residence
Make locating recovery residences easier
Resources
- Public Policy Statement: Housing’s Role in Addressing Substance Use and Facilitating Recovery