Covid Sets Stage for Biden to Tackle Addiction Treatment Access

Bilingual addiction specialists, methadone treatment vans for underserved areas, and research into race’s role in drug policy are among team Biden’s plans for getting a grip on America’s addiction crisis.

The administration is sinking millions of dollars into treatment efforts and has requested over $10 billion from Congress to continue the fight into the next year, emphasizing its push to meet treatment needs specific to American Indians and other populations.

The Covid-19 pandemic, however, is complicating health equity efforts. Overdose deaths jumped about 30% in 2020, marking the highest spike in a single year, according to provisional data from the ...