How Can States Use Opioid Settlement Funds to Truly Transform Substance Use Disorder Treatment?

Debbi Witham is a principal in the Health Management Associates behavioral health practice group. She shares her in depth understanding of the complexities of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment systems and highlights the critical need for quality measures and sustainable healthcare funding. Debbi emphasizes the importance of not throwing more money into systems that are not producing outcomes, and that states have an opportunity to course correct. The conversation explores topics such as the impact of reimbursement on care delivery, the urgency of addressing addiction within the larger healthcare ecosystem and provides insights into the necessary steps for coordinating a community response that improves outcomes.