February 28, 2020  | 

Addiction Policy Update – February 2020

HEALTH POLICY

Office of National Drug Control Policy

On Monday the 3rd, the ONDCP released a new National Treatment Plan and Drug Control Strategy, including metrics such as:

• Reducing the number of overdose deaths by 15% by 2022
• Reducing illicit drug and opioid use among teens by 15% by 2022
• Increasing the percentage of treatment facilities that offer medication assisted-treatment (MAT) by 100% by 2022
• Increase the percentage of federal health care workers certified to administer, prescribe, and dispense buprenorphine to 10% by 2022
• Reducing opioid prescriptions by 33% by 2022
• Reducing the production and presence of drugs other than opioids, including cocaine, in other countries

Following the release, the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Chair announced the Committee will hold a hearing with the ONDCP Director on the 27th.

Opioids

This past week, the House Bipartisan Opioid Task Force released a legislative agenda for the 116th Congress, and the House Energy and Commerce Committee Health Subcommittee will be holding a hearing on a variety of legislation addressing opioid misuse and overdoses.

Holly Strain and Carol McDaid of Capitol Decisions have generously provided the information used for this Policy Update.