Strategies

Restrict alcohol availability and use at sporting events, other public events (e.g., concerts and street fairs) and in public spaces such as parks and beaches

Limit increases in the number and concentration of alcohol outlets by area or by population through licensing or zoning regulations

Adjust and monitor fluoride levels in public water supplies to reach and retain optimal fluoride concentrations

Use specialized courts to offer criminal offenders with drug dependency problems an alternative to adjudication or incarceration

Use specialized courts to work with parents involved in the child welfare system who may lose custody of their children due to substance abuse

Provide outreach and support to assist those whose employers do not offer affordable coverage, who are self-employed, or who are unemployed

Provide medications such as methadone to individuals diagnosed with opioid use disorder in outpatient, residential, and hospital settings, usually with counseling and behavioral therapies; often called MAT

Regulate mental health insurance to increase access to mental health services, including treatment for substance use disorders

Establish programs that accept expired, unwanted, or unused medicines from designated users and dispose of them responsibly

Establish transportation services for areas with low population densities using publicly funded buses and vans on a set schedule, dial-a-ride transit, volunteer ridesharing, etc.