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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 1d

Read the full NIMH supported study here with co-authors Skyler Hulser and Brendan Saloner from @brownpublichealth.bsky.social : www.healthaffairs.org/doi/full/10....

Health Affairs Journal

www.healthaffairs.org

Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 1d

These treatment settings all matter for recovery, meaning broader Medicaid access offered more pathways for people with SUD to get help when needed most, critical when the overdose crisis was intensifying

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 1d

Even 6+ years later, treatment rates remained higher than pre-expansion, showing sustained improvements—not just a one-time bump.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 1d

Treatment episodes for SUD surged across the board in the first 2-3 years after expansion: overall rates up 39–40% after 2–5 years, with strong gains across the board, in residential, intensive outpatient, and non-intensive outpatient care.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 1d

New research led by @jcmecon.bsky.social of @georgemasonu.bsky.social in @healthaffairs.bsky.social finds Medicaid expansion has yielded lasting gains in access to specialty substance use disorder (SUD) treatment—benefiting thousands experiencing drug or alcohol problems.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

See the full paper with co-authors Jon Cantor, Ryan McBain, Aaron Kofner, Fang Zhang, Alyssa Burnett, Josh Breslau. Melissa Kilberti, Ateev Mehrota from @brownpublichealth.bsky.social and Hao Yu from @deptpopmed.bsky.social here: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Cell Phone Bans in a National Sample of US Public School Principals

This cross-sectional study reports the national prevalence of public-school cell phone bans and how they vary by school characteristics.

jamanetwork.com

Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

Thanks to the NIMH for funding this work and shout-out to all the school leaders who responded to the @rand.org American School Leader Panel!

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

Policymakers and school boards: are you considering neighborhood context when crafting phone policies? Open dialogue with parents, teachers, and students is key to making effective rules

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

These differences raise important questions on equity and the impacts for different student populations— teens using phones more freely at school could see impacts on learning and mental health. Middle and high school principals face tough choices balancing safety, independence, and distractions.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

And most elementary schools stick to strict bans: over 81% only allow phones on campus if students keep them put away all day. By high school, policies get much looser—many let students use phones outside class or at teacher discretion.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

Our national analysis found schools in higher-income communities are more likely to allow phones than those in high-poverty neighborhoods.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 3d

New Research Alert: Did you know nearly all U.S. public schools restrict student cell phone use—but the types of bans are very different depending on the school? Our recent paper, led by led by my @rand.org colleague Jon Cantor, just published in @jamahealthforum.com examines this issue

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 8d

Such an important topic. Great to see @parcka.bsky.social diving into this with my @rand.org colleague Liz!

PARCKA @parcka.bsky.social · 8d

Talking with youth about substance use isn’t easy. Dr. Elizabeth D’Amico shares how Motivational Interviewing #MI can help build trust. 🩷🎧 Listen to the newest episode of Let’s Talk About Drugs in the Intermountain West #LTAD now!

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 9d

Want all the numbers? Check out the NIDA and Foundation for Opioid Response Efforts supported study here:

journals.lww.com/journaladdic...

Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 9d

Bottom line: Medicaid unwinding wasn’t just a paperwork issue- it disrupted effective treatment of opioid use disorder for thousands. Policymakers must find ways to protect coverage and care continuity as insurance rules evolve.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 9d

Did other insurance types like commercial insurance and Medicare, or paying out-of-pocket pocket fill the gap? Turns out, they didn’t: overall, more people ended up going without effective treatment.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 9d

In states with the greatest Medicaid disenrollment, the changes were greatest: ending episodes rose +5.5%, and new starts fell nearly -4% after unwinding.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 9d

Our national study led by @rand.org colleague Rachel Landis in the American Society of Addiction Medicine’s Journal of Addiction Medicine found that after unwinding, more Medicaid buprenorphine treatment episodes ended (+3%), and fewer Medicaid treatment episodes started (-2.6%).

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 9d

New research alert: Medicaid covers nearly 40% of treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD), but recent “unwinding” of pandemic-era enrollment protections led many to lose coverage nationwide. How did this affect life-saving buprenorphine treatment?

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 23d

Want the details? Find the full NIDA supported research with @rand.org colleagues @rosannasmart.bsky.social @phoebelevine.bsky.social, Rachel Landis, Abigail Kessler and @schaeffer.usc.edu colleague @rlpacula.bsky.social here: jamanetwork.com/journals/jam...

Over-the-Counter Retail Naloxone Sales

This cross-sectional study examines first-year over-the-counter naloxone sales trends independently and in association with pharmacy-dispensed and program-distributed naloxone.

jamanetwork.com

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 23d

High cost (average price nearly $45) may have limited OTC demand.
But the bottom line is that while OTC approval increased naloxone availability, most people still get naloxone from pharmacies (often using insurance) or community programs

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 23d

States averaged a total of ~400 OTC units per million residents.
By comparison, pharmacies and community programs each distributed more than 15 times as many units/million over a similar period. OTC sales were higher in some states but still fell far short of pharmacy and community distribution.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 23d

In the first year, sales peaked around 23 units per million people and soon stabilized below 15 units per million.

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · 23d

New research alert: Naloxone can stop opioid overdoses and save lives. When it went over-the-counter in Sept 2023, did Americans start buying it? We examined this question in a study now out in @jamainternalmed.com

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Bradley Stein @bradleydstein.bsky.social · Aug 28

School-based teams are encouraged to use TRS-IA results and action planning guides to facilitate strategic planning, team collaboration, and continuous quality improvement. Try it out or read more : psycnet.apa.org/fulltext/202...

APA PsycNet

psycnet.apa.org

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