Federal site aims to link addicts with treatment options

WASHINGTON — The Trump administration has unveiled a website aimed at helping millions of Americans with substance abuse issues learn about and locate treatment options.

FindTreatment.gov is the latest development in the administration’s effort to address the nation’s opioid crisis. The White House said it believes the site, which went up Wednesday, will enable the tens of millions of Americans with a variety of substance abuse and mental health issues to better access the care they need.

Kellyanne Conway, the counselor to President Trump who is leading the White House response to the drug crisis, said the site is designed to provide “connectivity” between treatment providers and those who need help.

FindTreatment.gov modernizes an obscure directory of 13,000 licensed treatment providers maintained by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, adding userfriendly search criteria and tools. For instance, it will now allow users to search based on the type of treatment sought — such as inpatient, detox or telemedicine — by payment option and whether the treatment is medicationassisted.

Users also will be able to select between options that focus on youth, veterans and LGBT Americans.

The website will also include information on how to pay for treatment.

More than 70,000 Americans died in 2017 from drug overdoses, the bulk of them involving opioids.