Effective treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) is essential to saving lives and supporting long-term recovery. Opioid use disorder is a chronic but treatable condition, and evidence-based approaches—such as medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), counseling, and behavioral therapies—have proven to reduce withdrawal symptoms, prevent relapse, and improve overall health outcomes. At the Nevada Opioid Center of Excellence, we connect individuals, families, and providers with trusted resources to navigate the treatment process. Whether you are seeking care, supporting a loved one, or providing treatment services, this page offers tools, information, and guidance to help you access and deliver effective, compassionate care for opioid use disorder.
Resources Related to Treatment
Websites
FindTreatment.gov
The confidential and anonymous resource for persons seeking treatment for mental and substance use disorders in the United States and its territories. Available in Spanish.
Treatment of Opioid Use Disorder Before, During, and After Pregnancy
The CDC page outlines the importance of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder (OUD) during pregnancy, emphasizing methadone and buprenorphine as effective options to improve maternal and neonatal outcomes. It also highlights the need for comprehensive care, including mental health support, to reduce relapse risks and manage withdrawal symptoms in newborns.
Tools & Resources
When can I obtain treatment information about my loved one? (decision chart)
The HIPAA Decision Tree for Adult Patients is a guide that helps determine when a healthcare provider can share treatment information about an adult patient under HIPAA regulations, based on factors such as the patient's decision-making ability, the requester's role in their care, and potential risks to the patient.
Opioid Treatment Program Directory
Find treatment programs in your state that treat addiction and dependence on opioids.
Posters & Infographics
Publications
Brief: Tobacco and Opioids
The brief explores the connection between tobacco use and opioid addiction, highlighting how smoking may increase the risk of opioid misuse and how addressing tobacco dependence can improve substance use recovery outcomes. It emphasizes the need for integrated treatment approaches in substance use disorder programs, including tobacco cessation interventions, to enhance recovery success. The document also outlines policy and healthcare strategies to support dual cessation efforts, such as insurance coverage, clinical screening, staff training, and tobacco-free campus policies.
How HIPAA Allows Doctors to Respond to the Opioid Crisis
This resource explains how HIPAA allows healthcare professionals to share health information with a patient’s loved ones during emergencies or dangerous situations, such as an opioid overdose, when doing so is in the patient’s best interest. It clarifies that health providers can disclose information to family and caregivers without patient consent if the patient is incapacitated or poses a serious and imminent threat to their health. Additionally, it outlines limitations on sharing information for patients who have decision-making capacity and recognizes state laws regarding personal representatives who have authority over a patient’s health information.
How HIPAA Helps Family and Friends Stay Connected with Loved Ones Who Have a Substance Use Disorder, including Opioid Abuse, or a Mental or Behavioral Health Condition
This resource explains how HIPAA allows healthcare providers to share necessary health information with family and friends of individuals with substance use disorders (including opioid abuse) or mental health conditions when it is in the patient's best interest. It outlines how providers can notify loved ones in emergencies, share relevant treatment details for caregiving purposes, and grant full access to personal representatives who have legal decision-making authority.
Report: Websites for Opioid Addiction Treatment and Recovery Services: Data Sharing and Privacy Risks
This report from the Legal Action Center analyzes 12 popular websites offering opioid use disorder treatment and recovery services, highlighting the need for stronger legal protections regarding data sharing and privacy risks.
Federal Guidelines for Opioid Treatment Programs (2024)
This manual provides guidelines for operating an opioid treatment program. It covers patient-centered care planning, assessment, admission, and monitoring; medication administration and use; medical and clinical provisions and practices; certification and accreditation; and the importance of practitioner judgment in providing care.
Telehealth for the Treatment of Serious Mental Illness and Substance Use Disorders
This guide reviews ways that telehealth modalities can be used to provide treatment for serious mental illness and substance use disorders among adults, distills the research into recommendations for practice, and provides examples of how these recommendations can be implemented.
A Collaborative Approach to the Treatment of Pregnant Women with Opioid Use Disorders
This SAMHSA manual offers best practices to states, tribes, and local communities on collaborative treatment approaches for pregnant women living with opioid use disorders, and the risks and benefits associated with medication-assisted treatment.