Health Equity

health equity

 The opioid epidemic is not only a public health crisis but also a reflection of deeply rooted health inequities and disparities. Communities that face systemic barriers—such as poverty, lack of access to healthcare, and discrimination—are disproportionately affected by opioid misuse and overdose. Factors like race, socioeconomic status, geographic location, and stigma influence both the risk of opioid-related harm and access to life-saving prevention, treatment, and recovery services. At the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence, we recognize that achieving health equity means addressing these disparities head-on, ensuring that all individuals, regardless of background, have access to the resources and support they need to thrive. Explore this page for tools, information, and strategies to advance health equity in opioid prevention and response efforts across Nevada.

Resources Related to Health Equity

Websites

National Network to Eliminate Disparities in Behavioral Health (NNED)

Supports information sharing, training, and technical assistance towards the goal of promoting behavioral health equity via a network of community-based organizations focused on the mental health and substance use issues of diverse racial and ethnic communities.

LGBTQ+ Behavioral Health Equity Center of Excellence

Implements change strategies within mental health and substance use disorder treatment systems to address disparities effecting LGBTQ+ people across all stages of life through T/TA and coaching.

E4 Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health Disparities in Aging

Engages, empowers, and educates health care providers and community-based organizations for equity in behavioral health for older adults and their families.

Tools & Resources

This toolkit is designed to help guide partnerships, collaboratives, agencies, and community initiatives seeking to center racial equity while using, sharing, and integrating administrative data.

Posters & Infographics

More resources will be added soon, please check back.

Publications

More resources will be added soon, please check back.

Webinars & Online Learning

Current News & Research

The Impact of Stigma on People with Opioid Use Disorder, Opioid Treatment, and Policy

Illicit drug use disorders are the most stigmatised health conditions worldwide, and stigma acts as a meaningful barrier to treatment entry and treatment provision. In the context of dramatically rising opioid-related harms, it is critical that we understand the drivers of stigma and how it affects opioid use disorder treatment and policy. The aim of this narrative review is to discuss how opioid-related stigma impacts treatment provision and harm reduction, and provide potential strategies to reduce stigma at a social and structural level.

Does the Implementation of Evidence-Based and Culturally Competent Practices Reduce Disparities in Addiction Treatment Outcomes?

Guerrero, E. G., Garner, B. R., Cook, B., & Kong, Y. (2017). Does the implementation of evidence-based and culturally competent practices reduce disparities in addiction treatment outcomes? Addictive Behaviors, 73, 119–123. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.addbeh.2017.05.006