New Reports from ADAI Review Treatment & Policy Issues in Washington State

Three recent reports by the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute at the University of Washington address current issues of interest to treatment providers and policy makers in Washington State.  The reports were developed for the WA State Health Care Authority, Division of Behavioral Research (DBHR).

Evidence-based Practices in Washington State. Susan Stoner, UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, September 2018, 63p.  

In law and practice, Washington State has long promoted the use of evidence-based practices in the treatment of substance use disorders and mental health; Washington is recognized as a national leader in evidence-based policy-making.

This report reviews Washington's experience advancing evidence-based practices in mental health and substance use treatment. It presents a brief history of the evidence-based practices movement; touches on how the movement has affected policy-making; describes how policies have been translated into procedures in treatment for children and youth; contextualizes and characterizes where things stand with policies and procedures in the treatment of adults and substance use disorders; identifies key partners in the efforts to advance evidence-based practices in Washington; presents findings from a statewide survey about evidence-based practices; and offers some basic recommendations for the future of EBP.

The Role of Medications in the Treatment of Adolescents and Young Adults with OUD. Caleb Banta-Green and Laura Cooley.  UW Alcohol & Drug Abuse Institute, November 2018, 28p.

Diagnoses of opioid use disorder (OUD) among adolescents and young adults have increased substantially in the U.S. over the past 15 years. The use of treatment medications for opioid use disorder has also increased, though recent estimates show that only one in four young adults diagnosed with OUD have received any treatment medications.

The medications buprenorphine and methadone have strong evidence demonstrating their effectiveness; they are considered front-line treatment for opioid use disorder and are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.  This report details the current evidence base for OUD treatment medications, along with expert guidance for prescribers and treatment providers on the use of these medications and supportive services.

Methamphetamine in Washington. Susan Stoner, Jason Williams, Alison Newman, Nancy Sutherland, and Caleb Banta-Green. UW Alcohol & Drug June 2018, 35p. Appendices A-E
  
Methamphetamine use is a significant and increasing problem in Washington State. This report presents the scope of methamphetamine use; reviews harms associated with use; describes characteristics of users, their treatment utilization and needs; and reviews current approaches for treating methamphetamine use disorder. Finally, it notes key issues to consider when developing strategies aimed at reducing the use of and harms associated with methamphetamine use in Washington.  The report is informed by participants of a March 2018 meeting of the DBHR/ADAI Treatment Research Subcommittee, which focused on issues around methamphetamine use.

You can find more publications from ADAI on our website: http://adai.uw.edu/pubs/

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ADAI in the News

“Is More Potent Marijuana Driving a Surge in Cannabis Use Disorder?” quoting ADAI Senior Scientist Bia Carlini. (Healthline.com)

Most syringe exchange clients in Washington say they want help, says Caleb Banta-Green and other researchers in Journal of Addiction Medicine.

Dr. Dennis Donovan, former director of ADAI, will give the Keynote Address at the Annual Meeting of the Washington Society of Addiction Medicine, on March 7, 2019.

“Smartphone App Can Detect an Opioid Overdose and Save your Life“ was developed with a Small Grant from ADAI. (CNBC)

Five staff from ADAI will present at the 2019 North American Cannabis Summit in Los Angeles later this month.  Bia Carlini, Susan Stoner, Jason Williams, Sharon Garrett, and Meg Brunner will deliver oral presentations or posters about their work on a variety of topics about marijuana at the summit.