Overdose Prevention Initiative

New today! Our free U.S. Federal Advocacy Action Guide. Built for #overdose prevention and broad public health advocates who need to understand the functions and workings of our federal legislative system. Grab it on HATCH, use it to train your team, then share it!

The MAT Act did not pass because one person had the perfect argument. It passed because advocates, partners and policymakers kept showing up. Our new case study shows how coordinated advocacy expanded treatment access, and why that matters now. tinyurl.com/4hrcn546

When agencies lack the resources to maintain critical tools, outdated or inaccessible info becomes as dangerous as no info at all. Properly funding the programs and agencies that connect people to treatment isn't optional.

Celebrate #NationalPreventionWeek (NPW), with this webinar that features practical tools for storytelling — to translate prevention outcomes into compelling action for change. Happening today at 2PM ET, register below. capconcorp.zoom.us/webinar/regist…

@CDCgov December 2025 data show overdose deaths are moving in the right direction. But nearly 70,000 deaths a year is not a finish line. It is a mandate to keep funding treatment, naloxone, overdose interventions and recovery supports. cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr…

Medicaid is overdose prevention infrastructure. As states expand behavioral health care, new fiscal pressure and work requirements could disrupt treatment access. The solution: protect coverage, fund providers and keep MOUD within reach. @KFFHealthNews kff.org/medicaid/medic…

Arkansas’ Medicaid work reporting soft launch starts July 1. People in SUD treatment may be exempt, but exemptions still have to be documented every 6 months. A missed form should not mean lost coverage, interrupted MOUD or a broken path to recovery. ualrpublicradio.org/local-regional…

Help amplify the power of prevention by sharing your story using #MyPreventionStory! Whether it’s how you’re preventing substance use or promoting well-being, every journey is unique. Your story can inspire change. Learn how to get involved: samhsa.gov/prevention-wee…

KY’s overdose deaths have fallen for four straight years, from a record 2,257 in 2021 to 1,178 in 2025. Naloxone, treatment access, prevention, syringe services and recovery supports save lives. @kygov governing.com/key-findings/r…

Across the outpouring of grief after Rob and Michele Reiner’s deaths, a common sentiment seemed to emerge: This is unimaginable. But for some parents of mentally ill children struggling with substance abuse, there was a painful sense of recognition. wapo.st/4ezvs5b

A 911 call for a mental health or overdose crisis should not have only one default answer. @cityofokc Mobile Integrated Healthcare program shows what better can look like: behavioral health experts, de-escalation, overdose response and connection to care. oklahoman.com/story/news/loc…

During #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, Washington is making 988 available in state prisons, recognizing that suicide risk, OUD/SUD and mental health crises can and often do overlap. @WACorrections lynnwoodtimes.com/2026/05/11/doc…

Parents & teachers play a crucial role in shaping how children learn & grow. During #NationalPreventionWeek, talk about substance use prevention and well-being. Download games & activities: samhsa.gov/prevention-wee…

"We cannot abandon what works now." In an #OpEd, former CDC senior leader Debra Houry, MD, MPH, discusses the need to continue funding for "evidence-based programs that save lives, regardless of political beliefs." Read more at: medpagetoday.com/opinion/second…

#NationalPreventionWeek is a platform that promotes new ideas and initiatives to help keep communities healthy & safe. Join us as we celebrate the substance use prevention and well-being efforts happening nationwide! Learn more: samhsa.gov/prevention-week

SAMHSA called fentanyl test strips "life-saving" in July 2025. 9 months later, banned their federal funding. No new science. No rulemaking. Just a letter. 31 members of Congress have pushed back while the administration stays silent. …dosepreventioninitiative.substack.com/p/when-the-gov…

A @JAMANetworkOpen consensus statement reinforces hospitals as critical access points for MOUD initiation. Starting care during hospitalization can be lifesaving, sustaining it requires bridge care, naloxone, rapid follow-up and recovery supports. tinyurl.com/bdfbmfwk

LAFD data make the case plainly: since 2022, 24,503 of 25,461 people who received naloxone survived their overdose. Naloxone does not enable addiction. It enables survival, second chances and time to reach care. cbsnews.com/news/drug-over…

New York is investing $12M in opioid settlement funds to hire 500 peer recovery workers, people with lived experience who can connect New Yorkers to treatment, harm reduction and recovery support. @NYCMayor gothamist.com/news/mamdani-t…

"A strategy that says treatment should be easier to obtain than illicit drugs must have the infrastructure to make that real." Our statment on the 2026 National Drug Control Strategy, and why federal funding, guidance and implementation must follow. tinyurl.com/m8ebjuct

New @FACESandVOICES data also shows attitudes are shifting: 53% know someone in recovery 85% would work with someone in recovery 34% of employers are more likely to hire someone in recovery Recovery is real. Treatment works. tinyurl.com/ypurxpxz