The Government Accountability Office released a study today recommending that the Department of Health and Human Services, as it works to expand access to medication-assisted treatment for addiction, should develop clear measures to gauge its performance.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who requested the study, said it "will help to ensure that dollars are spent wisely to fight the crisis of opioid abuse taking lives in communities across the country. The announcement of GAO’s conclusions will help us as we continue to build a comprehensive approach to combating heroin and prescription drug abuse."
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a combination of behavioral therapy combined with medication such as methadone and buprenorphine to manage addiction. The report found that HHS has implemented five key steps in expanding access to MAT for opioid users since 2015, but many who need MAT still don't have access to it, especially in rural areas. In addition to recommending that HHS create and implement performance measurements, the report recommends that the agency should establish timeframes for when it will evaluate efforts to expand MAT.
"This is another step in the right direction," McConnell said. "As government officials review this morning’s report and as agencies develop new plans to fulfill its objectives, I will continue working with partners in Washington and Kentucky to address this important crisis — so we can one day finally put the pain of opioid abuse behind us, once and for all."
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), who requested the study, said it "will help to ensure that dollars are spent wisely to fight the crisis of opioid abuse taking lives in communities across the country. The announcement of GAO’s conclusions will help us as we continue to build a comprehensive approach to combating heroin and prescription drug abuse."
Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is a combination of behavioral therapy combined with medication such as methadone and buprenorphine to manage addiction. The report found that HHS has implemented five key steps in expanding access to MAT for opioid users since 2015, but many who need MAT still don't have access to it, especially in rural areas. In addition to recommending that HHS create and implement performance measurements, the report recommends that the agency should establish timeframes for when it will evaluate efforts to expand MAT.
"This is another step in the right direction," McConnell said. "As government officials review this morning’s report and as agencies develop new plans to fulfill its objectives, I will continue working with partners in Washington and Kentucky to address this important crisis — so we can one day finally put the pain of opioid abuse behind us, once and for all."
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