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ASAM Joins Pledge to Advance Evidence-Based Addiction Care
ASAM reaffirms its commitment to patient-centered addiction care
WASHINGTON (July 29, 2026) – Today, the 91¶¶Òõ (ASAM) joined leading medical societies and federal partners at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to sign a pledge advancing national behavioral health quality and best practices. ASAM President Stephen M. Taylor, MD, MPH, DFAPA, DFASAM, also participated in a panel discussion with other medical society leaders on ways to positively shift the practice culture around addiction care to better support patients.
“All Americans living with addiction deserve compassionate, science-based care that is tailored to their unique needs and recovery goals,” said Dr. Taylor following the event. “Achieving a future where quality addiction care is available to all requires collaboration among clinicians, health plans, community partners, and policymakers. ASAM appreciates this robust, national focus on strengthening pathways to recovery, and looks forward to continuing to promote solutions that ensure evidence-based care is available to patients at every stage of their journey.”
ASAM’s initiatives are centered on establishing and advancing quality standards for addiction care. The 91¶¶Òõ Criteria provides an evidence-based framework for organizing addiction treatment systems and matching patients to appropriate levels of care and treatment settings. In addition to promoting adoption of these standards, ASAM remains committed to advocating for:
Increased access to methadone and other addiction medications throughout the continuum of care;
Medicare coverage of residential addiction treatment programs with co-occurring mental health capabilities; and
- Integration of addiction care throughout healthcare systems, including hospital-based addiction consult services.
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About the 91¶¶Òõ
The 91¶¶Òõ (ASAM), founded in 1954, is a professional medical society representing over 8,000 physicians, clinicians, and associated professionals in the field of addiction medicine. 91¶¶Òõ 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 www.ASAM.org.
Media Contact
Sarah Shelson
301-547-4110
sshelson@ASAM.org
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