WASHINGTON, D.C. — As overdose deaths continue to decline nationwide, advocates say one federal decision could put that progress at risk.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, known as SAMHSA, plans to remove an online tool that advocates say provides vital help in dire situations.
“It’s not an option. It’s essential to sustaining the year over year decreases in overdose deaths that we’ve worked really hard to achieve,” said Libby Jones, the Associate Vice President of Overdose Prevention at the Global Health Advocacy incubator.
The first step toward recovery often starts with a search bar, but advocates say that search could soon get much harder. SAMHSA plans to remove its online “buprenorphine provider locator” on June 1 — a database that helps patients find doctors who can prescribe the medication for those who are struggling.
“A very powerful, very important medication for opioid use disorder,” said Jones of buprenorphine.
Jones stresses that the locator is only one piece, one block, of the recovery system. She compares it to a Jenga tower, where every block helps support the tower, or in this case the recovery system.
“If you start removing these blocks one by one, piece by piece, the tower begins to weaken. It becomes unstable, and eventually it will fall,” said Jones, adding that the locator is often the first step that many people take to getting treatment. Removing it — “It creates a problem,” Jones said.
It all comes as advocates say the administration shows signs of shying away from the “medication only” approach, but advocates argue medication like buprenorphine and methadone can make a life-changing difference.
“Buprenorphine and methadone actually have properties that prevent you from overdosing,” said Jones. “It stabilizes their brain chemistry. It allows you to get folks into that full continuum of care. But we have to start with medication.”
A SAMHSA officials said the “long-planned removal of the buprenorphine locator” from its website will take effect June 1 for a few reasons. The first, being the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2023- a $1.7 trillion federal spending package. The package, SAMHSA says, eliminated the “specific DATA 2000 waiver requirement and allows all practitioners who have a current DEA registration that includes Schedule III authority, to prescribe buprenorphine for opioid use disorder.”
In a statement, a SAMHSA added: “Although the waiver requirement was eliminated in December 2022, SAMHSA maintained the listing as part of a planned transition period to support stakeholders. As it is no longer being actively maintained and may not reflect current information, it is now being removed. Individuals seeking treatment can continue to use FindTreatment.gov to locate an up-to-date list of substance use and mental health treatment facilities that provide medications for opioid use disorder, including buprenorphine. SAMHSA will also phase out the Buprenorphine Pharmacy Lookup, which is no longer necessary,” the official said.
Republicans and allies of President Trump largely attribute the roughly 20% nationwide drop in overdose deaths last year to the administration’s crackdown at the southern border and on drug trafficking.
