Reduce Social Isolation.

Social Isolation Exacerbates the Severity of Substance Use and Mental Health Disorders. [i]

• There are compilations of on-line recovery services from SAMHSA, ensuring their wide distribution will prevent providers using limited resources to adapt individually.
• Individuals in recovery are more vulnerable to experiencing heightened anxiety and those with mental health issues may be more prone to self- medicate. [ii]
• Providing coordinated behavioral health services is critical. For example, such services can prevent further overwhelming emergency medical services dealing with overdoses.

Improve Access to Safe Treatment

• Treatment Centers Currently Lack the Infrastructure to Provide Care.
• Guidance for urine drug testing would help treatment centers [iii] adapt to providing tele-medicine and two to four-week prescriptions.
• Treatment provision should maximize compliance with CDC recommendations by sending medications via the mail, delivering them in-person, or providing them by appointment.
• Residential treatment centers and inpatient mental health facilities are providing essential care [iv] to vulnerable patients and should also receive access to COVID-19 tests.