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. 2013;28(3-4):165-74.
doi: 10.1080/19371918.2013.758975.

Treatment for substance use disorder: opportunities and challenges under the affordable care act

Betty Tai  1 , Nora D Volkow
Affiliations

Treatment for substance use disorder: opportunities and challenges under the affordable care act

Betty Tai et al. Soc Work Public Health. 2013.

Abstract

Addiction is a chronic brain disease with consequences that remain problematic years after discontinuation of use. Despite this, treatment models focus on acute interventions and are carved out from the main health care system. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (2010) brings the opportunity to change the way substance use disorder (SUD) is treated in the United States. The treatment of SUD must adapt to a chronic care model offered in an integrated care system that screens for at-risk patients and includes services needed to prevent relapses. The partnering of the health care system with substance abuse treatment programs could dramatically expand the benefits of prevention and treatment of SUD. Expanding roles of health information technology and nonphysician workforces, such as social workers, are essential to the success of a chronic care model.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
The triangle represents the U.S. population. The terms to the right of the figure refer to subpopulations by drug consumption level and the degree of substance use severity.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
The critical coordinating role of a social worker in an integrated care model for patients with substance use disorder. IT = information technology.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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