Opioid Epidemic Background
The United States faces an epidemic of opioid addiction and overdose deaths. Drug overdose is now the leading cause of accidental death in America. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an estimated 1.8 million people in 2013 had an opioid use disorder related to prescription pain relievers, and about 517,000 had an opioid use disorder (OUD) related to heroin use.
SAMHSA has awarded State Opioid Response to the Opioid Crisis (Opioid SOR) grants to DHCS. The purpose of the grant is to address the opioid crisis by improving access to treatment, reducing unmet treatment need, and reducing opioid overdose-related deaths through the provision of prevention, treatment, and recovery activities for OUD. California’s Opioid SOR grant project is the California MAT Expansion Project 2.0.
MAT is the use of FDA-approved prescription medications, usually in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies, to provide a whole-person approach to the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). MAT has been clinically effective to alleviate symptoms of withdrawal, reduce cravings, and block the brain’s ability to experience the opiate’s effect. MAT maintenance has been proven to cut overdose rates in half and decrease rates of HIV and hepatitis C transition. Detox (use of medications for 1-3 months), in contrast, increases mortality rates and does not improve long-term outcomes. Research shows that a combination of MAT and behavioral therapies is a successful method to treat SUD. According to SAMHSA, the ultimate goal of MAT is a full recovery, including the ability to live a self- directed life. This treatment approach has been shown to: