According to a 2024 report from the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS), substance misuse remains a serious concern in the state. Since 2020, Montana has experienced an average of 165 deaths and about 1,000 emergency department visits each year caused by unintentional drug overdoses. The effects of substance use reach across all ages and backgrounds, impacting children in foster care, adults in the correctional system, and older adults prescribed opioids for chronic pain.
In response, Montana continues to take steps to address these challenges. The DPHHS created the Montana Substance Use Disorders (SUD) Task Force in 2016 with support from the CDC’s Data Driven Prevention Initiative. Meeting four times per year, the task force has brought together more than 400 participants from 150 organizations across the state. Its first strategic plan for combating substance use was released in 2017, with updates in 2020 and again in 2024.
Additionally, from 2021 to 2023, the Montana Primary Care Association trained 732 medical professionals to provide Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD), expanding access to evidence-based treatment for people struggling with opioid addiction.