Breakout Group Discussion Questions

1. Based on what you heard at today’s Summit, what issues are you most interested in working on with your state chapter?

2. What resources can ASAM national staff provide to your chapter as it relates to this topic to help you be successful?

Midwest Group:

Resources of interest

• ASAM staff support to help chapters work with other specialty medical societies
• Areas of interest o Commercialization of cannabis towards young people (IL). Detrimental role of industry in legalization.
• Addressing misconceptions about buprenorphine vs. analgesics (TN)
• Treatment within jails/prisons and the availability of MOUD (OH) o Pregnancy and SUD issues.
• Reentry services. o Pharmacy issues in rural areas. Encourage pharmacies to increase availability and consideration of penalties against pharmacies for denying medications
• Treating SUD as a medical condition in the workplace

West Group:

Issues of interest

• Decriminalization of drug paraphernalia
• Good Samaritan legislation o Expansion of Overdose Prevention Sites
•  Naloxone funding, access legislation o Distribution of opioid litigation funds
•  Methadone treatment in correctional facilities (AK specific)
• Addressing Medicare coverage gaps for people with co-occurring mental health and SUD

Northeast Group:

Issues of interest

• Telehealth, increasing treatment access
• Parity enforcement for addiction treatment. Health insurance company liability legislation?
• Expansion of access to methadone
• Buprenorphine supply in pharmacies
• Recruiting and retaining addiction treatment staff. Poor pay and work conditions are drivers of insufficient staff ratios.
• Innovations in the workplace that promote recovery

South Group:

Issues of interest

• Med school training and curriculum in SUD
• More universal drug supply testing, i.e., fentanyl test strips, syringe service programs
• Rules for Cannabis Used for Non-Medical Purposes
• Standardizing in-patient treatment • Resources of interest o Enhancing education for politicians on the science of addiction treatment and harm reduction to address misconceptions. General concern that some politicians are regressing backward (moral vs. medical condition)
• Fusion between ASAM chapters and state medical societies. A general desire to be more proactive and general concerns about timely notifications of pending legislation/regulations to state chapters.
• ASAM Staff: Share info on how other state chapters have addressed similar challenges; staff support for letters and other communications