This is a report from the Mental Health Commission of Canada that summarizes an 18-month project on opioid use disorder (OUD) stigma and gives a scoping literature review as well as the results of key informant interviews and focus groups involving first responders, persons with lived experience of substance and/or opioid use, policymakers, and other service providers. 

This study develops a typology of the stigma related to opioid use, showing how multiple dimensions of stigma continue to fundamentally hinder the response to the crisis.

The paper explains how public stigma is driven by stereotypes about people with opioid use disorders, such as their perceived dangerousness or perceived moral failings, which translate into negative attitudes toward people with opioid use disorders. Additionally, it explains that enacted stigma describes the behavioral manifestations of public stigma, including discrimination and social distancing. Finally, the study emphasizes that public and enacted stigma, in turn, lead to the delivery of suboptimal care and undermine access to treatment and harm reduction services.

This in an annual summit sponsored by National Academy of Medicine and Shatterproof that brings together stakeholders to discuss the negative impact of stigma on people with substance use disorders and elevate action-oriented strategies to address and eliminate the harms caused by stigma. More information from the 2021 summit can be found here and the 2022 summit can be found here. 

This is an academic paper that provides a commentary on the role that stigma plays in substance use disorder, how it manifests, and the evidence base for combating it. 

The Rockefeller Institute's Stories from Sullivan series combines aggregate data analysis with on-the-ground research in affected communities to provide insight into what the opioid problem looks like in this rural county, how the community has responded, and what kinds of policies have the best chances of making a difference. 

This is a toolkit from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services that equips local workforce boards in the state to help solve the employment issues related to the opioid crisis, such as absenteeism, decreased productivity, and worker shortages. Recovery-friendly workplaces and working with those with opioid addiction and in recovery are discussed. 

This is a webinar series hosted by SAMHSA that brings together presentations by several experts on the impact of the opioid crisis on black and Latinx communities and innovative responses tailored to these populations. The website contains recordings of the webinars, powerpoint slides, and helpful culturally competent resources. 

This academic paper describes bridge clinics, which offer immediate, low barrier access to medications for opioid use disorder and other substance use disorder treatment, helping to close gaps in the continuum of care. It reviews available evidence for bridge clinic effectiveness in care delivery, including retention in treatment, while highlighting gaps in data on their effectiveness.

This is an issue brief from SAMHSA that focuses on the importance of employment and education in sustaining recovery from substance use disorders. It provides an overview of the issues, challenges, policies, and state of the science related to these domains, highlights successful programs, and makes recommendations of key program elements to support individuals with employment-related recovery.

This is an issue brief from SAMHSA that provides data on the LGBTQI+ who identify as being in recovery, highlights unique needs and barriers for this population, and gives recommendations on how to better serve lesbians, gay, bisexual, transgender, and other sexual minorities. 

This is a report from the National Council on Mental Wellbeing that aims to help harm reduction organizations, treatment providers, and other organizations that serve people who use drugs overcome challenges associated with implementing telehealth and technology-assisted services and leverage these advances to help improve the health and wellness of the individuals they serve. Successful initiatives are highlighted throughout the report. 

This is an academic paper that documents the currently available opioid-related smartphone apps and reviews past and existing technology solutions that address opioid use disorder (OUD), including educational apps for prescribers, wearable sensors, and GPS locator apps.