Google Added Free, Trusted Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment to Google Recover Together website this National Recovery Month Shatterproof, ASAM, and OpenBeds partner to provide free resource for treatment guidance while COVID-19 pandemic makes access to addiction treatment services more challenging

Google is now featuring the Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment, a new online resource created by Shatterproof, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) and OpenBeds, an Appriss Health company, on their Recover Together website. The online resource features a set of consumer-friendly, clinically validated questions to assess the needs of a person with addiction and produce guidance on the type of treatment that is most appropriate for them. The free resource is available nationwide at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the addiction crisis, with drug overdose rates surging across the country. Google is helping to meet individuals and families where they are already searching for addiction treatment, online.



The thirteen-question assessment was added as a new resource for Recovery Month to the Recover Together website, launched in 2019. Data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health show that only 1 in 10 people who need treatment for addiction, receive it. Far fewer individuals receive quality, evidence-based care. Google is helping to bridge the treatment gap by adding the assessment to their website and assisting those seeking treatment to obtain the appropriate level of care. In addition, Google is creating videos featuring individuals with lived experience to help families navigate the daunting process of finding care for loved ones.



Currently, many people searching for addiction treatment don’t know where to start. Instead of selecting a treatment setting based on clinical guidance, they are swayed by high-priced internet advertisements or misconceptions about what addiction treatment “should” be. The new Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment will describe to users the type of treatment setting, for example outpatient treatment or residential, and other features to search for based on their needs. By increasing the consumer’s knowledge on where to start, the resource not only empowers patients and families but puts them on the right path for improved outcomes.



“We applaud Google for adding a link to the Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment to their Recover Together website, making this trusted resource available to so many,” said Shatterproof Executive Vice President, Steve D’Antonio. “Treatment of a substance use disorder is not ‘one size fits all’ and by helping to identify the appropriate type of care we can greatly increase the chances of success.”



The anonymous ATNA assessment asks a variety of questions related to substance use, health, and environment. The output of the assessment offers guidance on the treatment type an individual should start with as they seek treatment. “It is incredibly challenging to navigate the intricacies of the behavioral health system in the US, especially at a time of crisis,” shared Nishi Rawat, M.D., senior vice president at Appriss Health and co-founder of OpenBeds. “We hope that this tool will help people take the important first step toward making an informed decision about the right type of treatment for themselves or their loved one.”



“Addiction is a treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment, and an individual’s life experiences. The severity of this illness can vary significantly from person to person and therefore the type and intensity of treatment should be matched to each patient’s needs,” said Paul H. Earley, MD, DFASAM, president of ASAM. “The ASAM Criteria® provides an evidence-based framework for determining the right level of care and tailoring that care to the individual patient. The Addiction Treatment Needs Assessment, which is based on The ASAM Criteria, is an important tool for helping patients understand where to begin their search for care.”

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About Shatterproof:

Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to reversing the course of the addiction crisis in America. Shatterproof is focused on ensuring that American substance use disorder treatment is based upon proven research and ending the stigma of addiction. The organization advocates for changes to federal and state policy, payer reform, treatment quality assessment, and provides public education through online programs. For more information, visit www.Shatterproof.org.



About ASAM:

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), founded in 1954, is a professional medical society representing over 6,000 physicians, clinicians, and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine. ASAM is dedicated to increasing access and improving the quality of addiction treatment, educating physicians and the public, supporting research and prevention, and promoting the appropriate role of physicians in the care of patients with addiction. For more information, visit https://www.asam.org/.



About OpenBeds:

OpenBeds offers a cloud-based platform that provides real-time behavioral health treatment facility and program availability, digital referrals, two-way digital provider communication, data aggregation and analytics, and clinical decision support resources. OpenBeds trusted and comprehensive treatment access and referral networks improve the timeliness of quality mental healthcare and substance use disorder (SUD) treatment. All OpenBeds statewide networks have the ability to develop and deploy Treatment Connection, an online portal that enables those seeking mental health and SUD treatment for themselves or others to anonymously search for nearby providers, evaluate the type of care needed, and submit confidential online referral inquiries to appropriate treatment providers vetted by the state. OpenBeds is an Appriss Health company. For more information, please visit www.openbeds.net, www.treatmentconnection.com or follow OpenBeds on LinkedIn.