THE OPIOID CRISIS AND THE BLACK/AFRICAN AMERICAN POPULATION: AN URGENT ISSUE

As Congress, federal agencies, state health departments, and other stakeholders mobilize to address the opioid epidemic, what is happening within the Black/African American communities? This issue brief aims to convey snapshots of how this population is impacted. Specifically, it aims to do the following:
a) Provide recent data on prevalence of opioid misuse and opioid overdose death rates in the Black/African American population in the U.S.;
b) Discuss contextual factors that impact the opioid epidemic in these communities, including challenges to accessing early intervention and treatment;
c) Highlight innovative outreach and engagement strategies that have the potential to connect individuals with evidence-based prevention, treatment, and recovery and;
d) Emphasize the importance of ongoing community voice and leadership in the development and implementation of solutions to this public health crisis.