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Federal Drug Testing Program Adds Fentanyl Testing

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has published a notice to the Federal Register, adding fentanyl to its drug testing protocol. The revised drug testing panels will go into effect at midnight (12 a.m. ET) on July 7, 2025.

The Federal Drug-Free Workplace Program is a comprehensive program to address emerging issues and illicit drug use by Federal employees to protect public health and safety.

Read the Notice

The toolkit includes information about weekly themes, social media graphics and messaging, a webinar background, and resources that public health organizations, treatment providers, professional associations, and others can use to spread awareness of Treatment Month.

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In October, we celebrate Substance Use Prevention Month. To inspire action, each of us can share how prevention is improving lives in our communities.

• Visit our Prevention Month toolkit:
  • Share the social media posts - and your #MyPreventionStory
  • Make use of the tools

• Share resources, year-round:
  
  • "Talk. They Hear You"®
  • Screen4Success
  • Communities Talk

Join us, in telling the prevention story!

Visit the Toolkit

The researchers measured delta-8 use for the first time in 2023 to investigate the drug’s popularity among teens as more hemp-derived THC products enter the market and become more accessible. Studies show an association between cannabis use and negative health impacts for teens, underlining the importance of monitoring use of delta-8 and other cannabis products among younger people.

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Today, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, through its Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), finalized modifications to the Confidentiality of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Patient Records regulations at 42 CFR part 2 (“Part 2”), which protect the privacy of patients’ SUD treatment records. Specifically, today’s final rule increases coordination among providers treating patients for SUDs, strengthens confidentiality protections through civil enforcement, and enhances integration of behavioral health information with other medical records to improve patient health outcomes.

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As part of the celebration, SAMHSA Leader Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon announced an update to the Overdose Prevention and Response Toolkit. The updated toolkit provides guidance on opioid overdose reversal medications, addresses stimulant overdoses, and includes population-specific information. Anyone can now see how they can help address the overdose crisis, whether they are a bystander, medical provider, first responder, or person who uses drugs.

SAMHSA also highlighted the FentAlert Challenge, open through February 26. The challenge offers adolescents age14-18 the opportunity to creatively engage their peers about fentanyl and prevent risky behavior.

The advisory emphasizes the importance of low barrier care in overcoming substantial gaps in access to SUD treatment and engaging more people in care. Despite robust evidence showing the effectiveness of SUD treatment, fewer than 10% of individuals who need care receive it. Barriers such as lack of treatment availability, strict program requirements, stigma, and discrimination have resulted in treatment gaps, especially among marginalized communities. It describes key principles of low barrier care, including person-centeredness, harm reduction, flexibility, cultural responsiveness, and trauma-informed approaches. It also outlines essential components like same-day treatment availability, integrating services across settings, telehealth options, individualized care, and peer support. SAMHSA aims to support providers, communities, and policymakers in implementing low barrier models of care. Expanding access through low barrier approaches can improve outcomes and save lives. Accordingly, this advisory provides actionable guidance to help make patient-centered, low barrier treatment a reality.

Participate in National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) and help share facts about drugs, alcohol, and addiction in your community. NDAFW is an annual health observance that inspires dialogue about the science of drug use and addiction among youth. NDAFW provides an opportunity to bring together scientists, students, educators, healthcare providers, and community partners to help advance the science and address youth drug and alcohol use in communities and nationwide. Sign up for NDAFW email updates below, and find lots of great resources for planning and promoting your very own NDAFW event.

https://nida.nih.gov/research-topics/parents-educators/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week?&utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=ndafw2024-2023-07

By National Council for Mental Wellbeing, March 8, 2022

The Office of Inspector General (OIG) within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has issued a favorable advisory opinion regarding contingency management, an evidence-based approach for treating substance use disorders that uses financial incentives to reward healthy behavior, such as abstinence and treatment retention.

The OIG’s advisory opinion concluded that an app-based contingency management program developed by DynamiCare Health Inc., a digital therapeutics and telehealth company dedicated to helping people overcome addiction, will not incur a risk of sanctions under the federal Anti-Kickback Statute (AKS) and Beneficiary Inducement Prohibition (BIP). This is the first time the OIG has issued such an opinion for a nationally accessible contingency management program that offers patients the full-value, direct monetary rewards that research has shown to be effective.

https://www.thenationalcouncil.org/press-releases/hhs-oig-issues-favorable-advisory-opinion-on-app-based-motivational-incentives-for-substance-use-disorders/

by Heather Landi | Aug 15, 2019 12:53pm

firecehealthcare

The state of Florida is partnering with the Military Health System to share prescription drug data to help providers in the state combat the risk of prescription drug misuse and abuse among the military population.

Through the partnership, the MHS prescription drug monitoring program (PDMP) began sharing the prescription drug data and analytics with 39 databases throughout the U.S., with the goal of enabling data-sharing among all 54 PDMPs across the country. 

Florida has the fifth largest population of active and reserve members of the military in the nation, currently numbering more than 92,000, according to state officials. Healthcare providers in Florida now have access to controlled substance prescription data from military health providers and facilities.

"It’s vitally important for clinicians and other personnel to have a complete picture of prescribing information for servicemen and women to help combat the potential risk of prescription drug misuse and addiction,” said Florida legislator Rep. Cary Pigman.

Pigman, an emergency medicine physician and a physician in the Army Reserve, co-sponsored Florida House Bill-375, which made the change to the prescription drug monitoring program statutes to authorize the Florida Department of Health to share PDMP data with the MHS. The new law went into effect on July 1.

There are more than 100,000 healthcare providers in Florida using the Florida PDMP, known as E-FORCSE (Electronic-Florida Online Reporting of Controlled Substance Evaluation Program).

"The ability to search the Military Health System PDMP will help protect and save more lives," Pigman said.

Technology company Appriss Health is the provider of Florida's PDMP and partnered with pharmacy benefits manager Express Scripts to create and support the MHS prescription drug monitoring database.

Community-based prescribers at clinics, hospitals, and local pharmacies can search these prescription drug databases to determine whether a Schedule II-V medication, such as a prescription opioid, was prescribed to their patient by another prescriber, including one at a military facility, according to a press release.

Up until now, the Military Health System was able to share patients' prescription data from community and retail pharmacies with state PDMPs but not from military health facility pharmacies due to challenges with different data reporting requirements in each state.

By collaborating with Appriss Health, Express Scripts and the National Association of Boards of Pharmacy, the MHS can now share patients' prescription information from military health facility pharmacies as well.

More effective sharing of prescription drug information between military and non-military providers will help to address and treat substance use disorder for servicemen and women and their families,” said Rob Cohen, President of Appriss Health.

“This new connection helps civilian clinicians make more informed decisions before prescribing an opioid and ultimately a measurable, positive impact on the opioid crisis.”

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Secures Additional $26M in Federal Funding for Florida’s State Opioid Response Project, Re-Establishes Office of Drug Control within the Executive Office of the Governor and Orders a Statewide Task Force on Opioid Abuse

Sanford, Fla. – Today, Governor Ron DeSantis announced that he will sign an executive order continuing his efforts to address Florida’s substance abuse crisis and opioid epidemic. Joining the Governor at the announcement were Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Attorney General Ashley Moody and Department of Children and Families Secretary (DCF) Chad Poppell.

“Substance abuse is a serious public health concern and although great progress has been made, the opioid epidemic continues to devastate families and communities throughout our state,” said Governor DeSantis. “These issues require effective and immediate action and my administration is committed to taking the necessary steps to combat this crisis.”

Governor DeSantis announced that Florida has been awarded $26 million in additional federal funding for Florida’s State Opioid Response Project. This project is designed to address the opioid crisis by reducing opioid deaths, preventing opioid abuse among our young people, and increasing recovery services and access to treatment.

The Governor is also re-establishing the Office of Drug Control within the Executive Office of the Governor. This office was discontinued several years ago, but the importance of restoring its functions could not be more obvious.

Finally, the Governor announced the creation of a Statewide Task Force on Opioid Drug Abuse. The Task Force will develop a statewide strategy and identify best practices to combat the opioid epidemic through education, treatment, prevention, recovery, and law enforcement.

(for video of PR click here or on photo)

(photo credit: Governor's Press Office)

“The opioid epidemic has taken far too many lives and devastated too many of our local communities,” said Lt. Governor Jeanette Nuñez. “Our administration is taking immediate action today to address this crisis through enforcement, prevention and recovery.”

“I want to thank Governor DeSantis for bringing federal, state and local governments and stakeholders together to fight the opioid crisis and save lives,” said Attorney General Ashley Moody. “As a former Federal Prosecutor and Circuit Judge, who saw firsthand how this crisis ravaged our communities, I am honored to help lead this mission. I look forward to bolstering our ongoing efforts against this deadly crisis claiming 17 lives a day in Florida.”

“We appreciate the support of the Governor and First Lady in the ongoing fight against the opioid epidemic in Florida and look forward to working with the task force,” said DCF Secretary Chad Poppell. “Too often, children come into care because of their parent’s opioid use. This $26 million, along with the significant investments already made, will further Florida’s ability to provide treatment, expand hospital bridge programs, and enhance coordination within the child welfare system to help the parents of vulnerable children.”