“The Public Policy Committee works in close collaboration with the Research, Treatment and Education Sections of AAAP to promote excellence of clinical practice in Addiction Psychiatry, to educate the public regarding substance use disorders, to promote accessibility and quality of treatment for all patients, and to support research in the field. Further, the Public Policy Section supports the Board of Directors in their deliberations regarding AAAP positions on legal cases and legislative initiatives pertinent to substance use disorders and addiction psychiatry.”
—Richard N. Rosenthal, MD, Section Head Chair; Hilary S. Connery, MD, PhD, Co-Chair and Justine Welsh, MD, Early Career Co-Chair
Position Statements
November 18, 2019
AAAP joins The American Medical Association in supporting a broad public health recommendation to cease using all vaping devices until further state and federal investigations determine causality and can advise on which, if any, vaping devices may be considered safe for use by the public.
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October 3, 2019
AAAP encourages states to consider the following, well-established and widely-reproduced findings in the scientific literature regarding cannabis and mental health.
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Advocacy Statements
January 9, 2024
AAAP and 40 other organizations express strong support for the SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Reauthorization Act (S. 3393), sponsored by Senators Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA).
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October 17, 2023
AAAP provides comments from the perspective of experts in the treatment of individuals with substance use disorders and mental health conditions and based on significant real-life experience with the barriers associated with discriminatory insurance practices.
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August 18, 2023
AAAP provides input in response to the Request for Information regarding the Food and Drug Administration’s regulation of cannabidiol (CBD).
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May 31, 2023
The undersigned addiction, mental health, recovery support, harm reduction, and healthcare professional organizations write to voice our strong support for S. 971/H.R. 3074 – the Due Process Continuity of Care Act.
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April 19, 2023
AAAP asks Congress to provide $35 million for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), $25 million for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and $1 million for the National Institute of Justice NIJ) to conduct public health research into firearm morbidity and mortality prevention.
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March 30, 2023
We support the steps the Administration is taking to provide flexibility for physicians and other clinicians to initiate prescriptions of controlled substances for addiction treatment via telehealth modalities and the flexible definition of “home” for the location of the patient to improve access. However, we strongly urge for a repeal of the 30-day in-person requirement for those on buprenorphine who have never received an in-person evaluation.
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March 29, 2023
As ONDCP develops its 2024 Strategy to strengthen our nation’s ability to deliver comprehensive prevention, treatment, and recovery services for people, families and communities facing substance use issues, we urge you to build on the 2022 Strategy by identifying solutions to remaining barriers to care and implementing policies to reduce stigma and discrimination.
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March 23, 2023
The undersigned addiction, mental health, and healthcare professional organizations are writing today to urge your support for the increased funding of important addiction prevention, treatment, harm reduction, and recovery support programs aimed at strengthening the addiction service workforce in Fiscal Year 2024. The undersigned represent diverse organizations united around common policy goals that will lead to meaningful and comprehensive policies to reduce drug overdose deaths.
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March 20, 2023
As the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee develops comprehensive legislation to address our nation’s healthcare workforce shortages, we would like to offer the following recommendations for addressing current workforce gaps and increasing the number of clinicians who work at the intersection of the treatment of substance use disorders and mental health conditions.
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February 15, 2023
Since the PHE will be ending on May 11, we urge the Administration to quickly provide individual patient exceptions for patients receiving PHE flexibilities in take-home doses (THD) to ensure a safe transition from the PHE while careful consideration can be given to any permanent rule changes going forward.
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January 31, 2023
To best treat people with SUDs, clinicians need to be able to coordinate care with other health professionals to meet patients’ whole health needs without fear of stigma and discrimination. This rule will help to better meet this need.
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December 16, 2022
30 organizations join together to urge continued robust funding for PCSS, a vital program for training providers as our nation continues to address the opioid misuse and overdose epidemic.
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July 27, 2022
AAAP encourages the Senate HELP Committee to follow suit and add companion language in order to support the implementation of high-quality integrated behavioral health care that is proven to be effective.
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June 30, 2022
AAAP is focused on working with the Administration, Congress, and experts in the field of addiction treatment to develop and implement science-based policies and programs to accomplish our shared goal of ending the opioid epidemic, addressing co occurring mental health problems, and providing effective treatment for our patients.
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June 28, 2022
AAAP is concerned and disheartened by the U.S. Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling.
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March 7, 2022
AAAP supports improving access to lifesaving medical treatment for opioid use disorder.
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March 4, 2022
AAAP signs on to letter of support for prescribing of controlled substances via telehealth under Ryan Haight Act.
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February 8, 2022
AAAP signs on to The American Brain Coalition's letter in support of S.1810/H.R.3541, the Conrad State 30 and Physician Access Reauthorization Act.
Statements by the American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry are not intended to serve as a standard of medical care or treatment, nor do they necessarily reflect the views of individual AAAP members. These statements are not intended for use in making judgments about appropriate methods of care, treatment, or procedures, medical malpractice, disability determination, competency, or any other medical or legal matters. This website provides content associated with the work of Public Policy committee and approved by the Board of Directors.