Effective Advocacy: Working through the Congress, Courts, and the Executive Branch to Advance Effective Addiction Policies

Session Description: This session will present practical tools advocates can use to advance evidence-based responses to addiction and substance use disorder in their communities. As federal policy continues to evolve, including ongoing changes to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), shifting federal civil rights enforcement priorities, and implementation of significant Medicaid policy changes, communities face both challenges and opportunities to expand access to care. Presenters will discuss bipartisan legislative efforts to increase access to evidence-based addiction treatment; litigation aimed at protecting the rights of people with substance use disorder; and advocacy strategies to ensure that implementation of Medicaid community engagement requirements and other eligibility policies does not create barriers to treatment and recovery. The session will also highlight opportunities for collaboration among advocates, policymakers, healthcare providers, and litigators to promote equitable access to care. Attendees will leave with an updated understanding of the federal policy landscape, recent developments in courts across the country, and practical tools they can use to work with advocates, lawmakers, and legal partners to advance effective, evidence-based policies that improve access to treatment and recovery services in their own communities.