National Governors Association

"Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, many governors were looking for ways to strengthen substance use disorder (SuD) provider capacity as part of their comprehensive response to the opioid epidemic. However, the imperative is now greater than ever as providers and states face unprecedented fiscal challenges and there are increasing reports that the country is seeing an increase in need for SuD treatment as a result of the stress, social isolation, and job loss associated with the pandemic (Box 1). While comprehensive national data are not yet available, initial reports suggest that many states are experiencing a resurgence of overdose deaths, potentially erasing some of the progress made in recent years in combatting the opioid epidemic.1 At the same time, SuD providers, many of whom are Medicaid providers, are facing financial hardship as they lose revenue due to lower utilization, face new costs for personal protective equipment (ppe), and are required to reconfigure their work spaces and approach to providing care to reduce the risk of spreading coviD-19 (Box 2 below).2"

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