The data is telling us it’s time for a new approach to OUD crisis
By Kimberly A. Johnson, Ph.D.
When I was a provider, I thought, “If the state only gave me more money and reduced regulations, I could treat a lot more people. I know what works.”
When I was the SSA in Maine, I thought, “If the federal government would only give me more money and not have such a reporting burden, I could treat a lot more people. I know what my state needs. I can’t believe what providers try to get away with. I need to write more rules!”
When I was CSAT director, I thought, “If Congress would just give me the money and not micromanage the allocation, I could treat a lot more people. I can’t believe what the states and providers try to get away with. Why can’t they even tell me what they spent the money on?”
Now I am a researcher. I watch what everyone is doing and wonder, “How do we fix this system? Where do we even begin?”
