Using Telehealth to Meet the Challenges of the Opioid Epidemic

The opioid epidemic continues to affect millions of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid limited access to in-person care and the decline of social support systems, telehealth has grown as an innovative avenue for extending options for care and treatment. More information, however, is needed to inform the effective and equitable delivery of medications for opioid use disorder and other therapeutic approaches by telehealth.

This brief explores:

• How the COVID-19 pandemic is impacting treatment approaches for opioid use disorder (OUD);
• Why federal and state governments are promoting the use of telehealth for OUD treatment; and
• What policymakers, providers, and other stakeholders can do to ensure telehealth treatment for OUD is equitable and effective