Sign In
Skip to content

 

 

Alaska Opioid Policy Task Force (AOPTF)

To address the rising incidence of heroin and opioid abuse in Alaska, the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse, Division of Public Health, and the Alaska Mental Health Trust Authority will co-facilitate an Alaska Opioid Policy Task Force (AOPTF). The goal
of the AOPTF is to provide recommendations to the Governor and
Legis​lature. The task force will consist of members representing the public systems significantly affected by issues related to opioid abuse while representing the diversity of Alaska’s communities.
Click here for the AOPTF roster.​

_____________________________________________

Press Releases older than 25 months can be found on the State of Alaska Library Archives website**

Press Release 1/19/2017** Task Force recommends collaborative prevention, treatment and recovery support strategies to reduce opioid misuse in Alaska. The Alaska Opioid Policy Task Force has issued a broad set of recommendations to prevent, treat, and support recovery from opioid misuse and addiction in Alaska. Alaskans were invited to provide their comments through November  2016.

    Read the final recommendations**

The areas the Task Force addresses include but are not limited to:
  1. Alaska law enforcement efforts to curb the importation of heroin into the state;
  2. Prescribing practices related to pain management and opioid medications;
  3. Insurance and Medicaid roles in preventing and managing opioid addiction;
  4. Access to detox services;
  5. Prescription opioid drug misuse, diversion, and abuse;
  6. Improving the opioid treatment system in Alaska;
  7. Potential collateral public health concerns of opioid abuse and self-injecting drug use (Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome, HIV, Hepatitis, etc.); 
  8. Harm reduction practices (e.g., access to Narcan®/naloxone, syringe and needle exchange programs);
  9. Public education and destigmatization;
  10. Root causes of self-medication;
  11. Any potential collateral consequences of policies considered by the task force; and
  12. Other areas identified by stakeholders throughout the process.

    13.  

    _____________________________________________

    View previous AOPTF meeting minutes, agendas, and meeting materials here.
    For more information, call the Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug abuse at 907-465-8920 or email Kate.Burkhart@alaska.gov.

       

      CONTACT US
      Kate Burkhart Executive Director,
      Advisory Board of Alcohol and Drug Abuse/Alaska Mental Health Advisory Board  907-465-8920     kate.burkhart@alaska.gov


    ​​