SAMHSA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services January 2017
Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder
FACT SHEET
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), in collaboration with individuals in recovery, clinicians, researchers, and other subject matter experts, has developed a person-centered, recovery-oriented decision support tool for individuals with opioid use disorder. Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (Decisions in Recovery) is an online interactive aid for people who want information about the role of medications in treating opioid use disorder. The web-based tool and its accompanying handbook are designed to help people with opioid use disorder: (1) learn about medication-assisted treatment (MAT); (2) compare treatment options; (3) decide which options are best for them and their recovery; and (4) discuss their preferences with a provider. The target audiences for this tool are primarily individuals in or seeking recovery from opioid use disorder and their service providers. Secondary audiences include administrators, planners and policymakers, members of national and community advocacy organizations, researchers, and others interested in promoting quality community behavioral health care. This decision support tool includes a number of exciting features: • Easy to understand information from the literature about three primary medications used for MAT, along with their outcomes, risks, and benefits • Tools to assist the person in recovery to identify and consider personal values and preferences in relation to the available options • Brief videos of recovery stories that provide a range of views and lived experiences from individuals in various stages of recovery and providers • Downloadable worksheets to assist anyone in their recovery journey Decisions on Recovery is an important resource to further the aim of the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report titled Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health to prevent and treat substance use disorders. The purpose of this decision support tool is to make objective, research-based information accessible to individuals facing specific decisions about medication for opioid use disorder, rather than to promote any single treatment option. In addition, SAMHSA emphasizes that scientific evidence demonstrates medications are best used in combination with recovery support, lifestyle changes, and professional treatment. Decisions in Recovery supports shared decision-making between individuals in or seeking recovery and their providers. By providing accurate, easy to understand information, first person testimonials, and worksheets to help individuals weigh their options and communicate their preferences and values effectively to providers, Decisions in Recovery can support individuals and providers in developing treatment plans that are the best possible fit for their values, preferences, needs, and recovery goals.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS)
What is Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder (Decisions in Recovery)? Decisions in Recovery is an innovative multimedia tool for people who want information about the role of medications in treating opioid use disorder. It includes a printable handbook that mirrors the web-based content. Decisions in Recovery is person-centered and recovery-oriented. It focuses on “whether” medication-assisted treatment (MAT) is an informed treatment choice by a person in or seeking recovery from an opioid use disorder; and if so, “which” medication is the best fit for that person. Decisions in Recovery is designed to help individuals: (1) learn about MAT; (2) compare treatment options; (3) decide which options are best for them and their recovery; and (4) discuss their preferences with a provider. Who developed Decisions in Recovery? This decision support tool was developed with funding from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). The Center for Social Innovation with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. prepared this tool under Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS); contract number HHSS 280201100002C, SAMHSA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Cathy Nugent, Marsha Baker, Wanda Finch, Sharon Amatetti, and Deepa Avula served as the Contract Officer Representatives. SAMHSA worked in collaboration with people in recovery from substance use disorder, researchers, clinicians, and other experts to develop this innovative webbased tool. Who can benefit from Decisions in Recovery? This resource can benefit individuals facing important decisions about their own recovery. It also supports service providers by enhancing communication with the individuals that they serve, clarifying information, and promoting informed, collaborative decision-making. In addition, Decisions in Recovery is a useful resource for administrators, planners and policymakers, members of national and community advocacy organizations, researchers, and others interested in promoting quality community behavioral health care. Who is the focus audience for the tool? The focus audiences for this tool are primarily individuals in or seeking recovery from opioid use disorder and their service providers. Secondary audiences include administrators, planners and policymakers, members of national and community advocacy organizations, researchers, and others interested in promoting quality community behavioral health care. How does Decisions in Recovery differ from other medication-assisted treatment resources? The Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder tool is based on the model of shared decision-making. Shared decision-making is a collaborative process that allows 4 individuals to make informed choices about their treatment in partnership with their providers, taking into account the best scientific evidence available, as well as individual values, preferences, and lifestyle. Shared decision-making honors both the provider’s expert knowledge and the individual’s right to be fully informed of all treatment options and their potential risks and benefits. Unlike other MAT resources, Decisions in Recovery is a tool that helps both providers and patients to share information about treatment options, preferences, and next steps. Decisions in Recovery can help structure dialogue and enhance communication and treatment decision-making. When used in conjunction with other innovative resources, such as SAMHSA’s new MATx app http://store.samhsa.gov/apps/mat/?WT.mc_id=SAMHSAGOV_20160802_MATx_MAT, Decisions in Recovery can enhance the ability of providers to offer evidence-based information and resources to the individuals that they serve. How can agencies, organizations, and treatment providers use the tool in their practice? The Decisions in Recovery tool is an important resource to further the aim of the 2016 Surgeon General’s Report titled Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health to prevent and treat substance use disorders. In addition, the tool can facilitate the interactive process of shared decision-making by supporting a person in recovery from an opioid use disorder in making informed choices about MAT as a treatment choice to aid their recovery from a substance use disorder. How does recovery fit into MAT? Decisions in Recovery offers a wide variety of resources on recovery, recovery support, and opioid use disorder treatment. It offers a framework for individuals and practitioners to consider treatment as an important part of recovery and to recognize recovery as a process of change. Decisions in Recovery encourages people in or seeking recovery from opioid use disorder to talk with their providers about the treatment options that will work best for their unique needs and recovery goals. What are the main features of Decisions in Recovery? This decision support tool includes a number of exciting features: • Easy to understand information from the scientific literature about the three primary medications used for MAT in the United States, along with their outcomes, risks, and benefits • Tools for people in recovery to identify and consider personal values and preferences in relation to the available treatment options • Brief videos of recovery stories that provide a range of views and lived experiences from individuals in various stages of recovery and providers • Downloadable worksheets to assist individuals in making decisions about treatment options with a provider • A downloadable PDF companion handbook that reflects information from the web-based multimedia tool Where can I find the tool? 5 There are a number of places to locate the Decisions in Recovery tool or the companion handbook on the SAMHSA website. After December 15, 2016 – options for accessing the Decisions in Recovery tool and companion handbook include: • To access Decisions in Recovery, please go to the SAMHSA website at http://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment and click on Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. • To download the handbook, please go to the SAMHSA website at http://www.samhsa.gov/medication-assisted-treatment and click on Decisions in Recovery Handbook. • More information about Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder is available on the SAMHSA/BRSS TACS website at http://www.samhsa.gov/brsstacs/shared-decision-making How can I learn more about Decisions in Recovery? You can participate in a SAMHSA webinar to better understand the information in the new resource, navigate the web-based tool, and download worksheets for personal or provider use. To register for the Recovery LIVE! – Opioid Use Disorder, Medication, and Recovery webinar – please cut-and-paste the following URL into a web browser: https://opioid-use-disordermedication-and-recovery.eventbrite.com Can I reproduce or copy material from the tool for use in my practice? All material in Decisions in Recovery is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission from SAMHSA. Citation of the source is appreciated. However, this material may not be reproduced or distributed for a fee without the specific written authorization of the Office of Communications, SAMHSA, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. What is the recommended citation for the tool? Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2016). Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. (Electronic Decision Support Tool) (HHS Pub No. SMA- 16-4993), 2016. Available from: http://www.samhsa.gov/brss-tacs/shared-decision-making
Angela Zaffer 