How Schools Have Responded to the Youth Fentanyl Crisis
With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, deaths due to drug overdose among adolescents more than doubled, primarily driven by the synthetic opioid, fentanyl.
View the Latest: Substance Use
Filter
-
-
Examining Short-Term Limited-Duration Health Plans on the Eve of ACA Marketplace Open Enrollment
Issue BriefAs Marketplace Open Enrollment nears, policy changes could leave millions of people facing substantially higher premiums and coverage loss, which could lead more consumers to purchase less expensive and less comprehensive coverage through short-term health plans. KFF analyzes short-term health policies sold by nine large insurers in 36 states, examining premiums, cost sharing, covered benefits, and coverage limitations and comparing them to ACA Marketplace plans.
-
Five Key Facts About People Experiencing Homelessness
Issue BriefThis data note reviews trends in homelessness and characteristics of people who are homeless using data from HUD’s Point-in-Time (PIT) count of sheltered and unsheltered people experiencing homelessness.
-
Better Prompting May Help Reduce AI Hallucinations, False Vaccine Claims Spread, and Industrial Solvent Promoted as Hidden Cancer Cure — The Monitor
FeatureThis volume examines how prompting techniques can reduce incorrect medical information from AI chatbots; false claims linking vaccines to sudden infant death syndrome; the promotion of an industrial solvent as an allegedly suppressed cancer cure; misunderstandings about the risks of overdose from fentanyl exposure; and ongoing myths about sunscreen safety.
-
A Look at the New Executive Order and the Intersection of Homelessness and Mental Illness
Policy WatchThis brief describes the new executive order, examines the intersection of homelessness and mental illness, reviews the history of the deinstitutionalization movement, and discusses specialized treatment services for people with SMI.
-
How Might Changes to the ACA Marketplace Impact Enrollees with Mental Health Conditions?
Issue BriefThis brief estimates the number of current Marketplace enrollees with a mental health diagnosis to understand what changes in enrollment may mean for access to services. Among the 24.3 million Marketplace enrollees in 2025, over 4.4 million individuals are estimated to have at least one mental health diagnosis on a health care claim.
-
Implications of Medicaid Work and Reporting Requirements for Adults with Mental Health or Substance Use Disorders
Issue BriefThis brief describes key challenges that Medicaid work requirements may pose for adults with mental health or substance use disorders. In May, the House passed a budget reconciliation bill that includes national Medicaid work requirements for adults in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) expansion group.
-
Implications of Potential Federal Medicaid Reductions for Addressing the Opioid Epidemic
Issue BriefMedicaid is the main source of coverage for adults with opioid use disorder and among those receiving treatment services. Most adults with OUD in Medicaid are eligible through Medicaid expansion.
-
Public Perception of Measles Vaccines and Unsubstantiated Treatment Claims — The Monitor
FeatureThis Monitor highlights April KFF Tracking Poll findings on perceptions about measles and explores the unsubstantiated promotion of budesonide and clarithromycin as treatments. It also covers misrepresentations of syringe programs and how prompting strategies can boost the accuracy of AI chatbots on health questions.
-
Section 1115 Waiver Watch: A Look at the Use of Contingency Management to Address Stimulant Use Disorder
Policy WatchContingency management is an evidence-based psychosocial intervention that uses motivational incentives, such as vouchers or gift cards, to encourage recovery behaviors like stimulant abstinence and treatment session (e.g., cognitive behavioral therapy, group therapy) attendance. The Biden administration has approved five state contingency management waivers (California, Delaware, Hawaii, Montana, and Washington); two additional state contingency management requests are currently pending federal review.