Implementing Effective Substance Abuse Treatments in General Medical Settings: Mapping the Research Terrain

• Ongoing and recent implementation research on integrated care at NIAAA, NIDA, and VHA is reviewed.
• Research on screening and brief intervention for risky drinking and tobacco use; use of FDA-approved pharmacotherapies; safe opioid prescribing; and disease management is reviewed.
• Gaps in the existing portfolio, and directions for future research are described.

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) share an interest in promoting high quality, rigorous health services research to improve the availability and utilization of evidence-based treatment for substance use disorders (SUD). Recent and continuing changes in the healthcare policy and funding environments prioritize the integration of evidence-based substance abuse treatments into primary care and general medical settings. This area is a prime candidate for implementation research. Recent and ongoing implementation projects funded by these agencies are reviewed. Research in five areas is highlighted: screening and brief intervention for risky drinking; screening and brief intervention for tobacco use; uptake of FDA-approved addiction pharmacotherapies; safe opioid prescribing; and disease management. Gaps in the portfolios, and priorities for future research, are described.