America’s Opioid Crisis: Access to Medication-Assisted Treatment in Cities

Opioid use disorder is a pervasive problem in the United States. Almost 48,000 Americans died from an opioid overdose in 2017, with 130 lives lost each day. The most effective intervention for this disorder is medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which combines Food and Drug Administration-approved medications with behavioral therapies.

Join The Pew Charitable Trusts on Friday, January 25, at 8:20 a.m. EST for a live webcast on ways Philadelphia and other cities are working to expand access to MAT. Experts will discuss the latest research and share experiences and strategies used in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New York City, and Pittsburgh. The conversation will also focus on successes and barriers to progress.

During the event, get insights, statistics, and commentary—and join the conversation—by following #PewTalksOpioids and @PewHealth on Twitter.

The Pew-hosted discussion will feature two panels offering important perspectives on the issue.

Beth Connolly, project director of Pew’s substance use prevention and treatment initiative, will facilitate both conversations.

Frazierita Klasen, vice president of Pew’s Philadelphia program, will deliver opening remarks.

Panel 1: How Philadelphia and Other Cities Are Working to Expand Access to MAT to Address the Opioid Crisis

Public health officials from Philadelphia, Cincinnati, New York City, and Pittsburgh will detail their experiences in implementing policies to increase MAT access in their jurisdictions.

Featured panelists

Eric Hulsey: Manager, behavioral health analytics, Office of Data Analysis, Research, and Evaluation, Allegheny County Department of Human Services (Pittsburgh)

Tim Ingram: Health commissioner, Hamilton County Public Health (Cincinnati)

David T. Jones: Commissioner, Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services, city of Philadelphia

Marissa Kaplan-Dobbs: Primary care initiatives manager, Bureau of Alcohol and Drug Use Prevention, Care, and Treatment, New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene

Panel 2: Reducing Barriers and Increasing Access to MAT in Three Important Care Settings

Providers from three key Philadelphia care settings—a treatment center, a hospital emergency department, and a primary care practice—will discuss how MAT is delivered and what barriers providers and patients face in gaining access to MAT and other types of care for opioid use disorder.

Featured panelists

David Barclay: Primary care provider, David M. Barclay Family Medicine LLC

Regan Kelly: President and CEO, NorthEast Treatment (NET) Community Care

Priya Mammen: Director, public health programs, and clinical associate professor of emergency medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University