In Rhode Island, leaders across the state are deeply committed to ensuring access to high-quality, compassionate substance use disorder treatment so individuals and families can heal and thrive. In recognition of Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month, we highlight Linda Mahoney, Associate Director at the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH) and the role that she plays in honoring the dignity and respect of all Rhode Islanders seeking care.
Could you please start by introducing yourself and sharing a bit about your role as Associate Director of Behavioral Health/Substance Use Conditions at BHDDH?
My name is Linda Mahoney, and I am the Associate Director for the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Healthcare, Developmental Disabilities and Hospitals (BHDDH). As Associate Director, I am responsible for the oversight of Rhode Island’s substance use disorder treatment facilities, including serving as the State Opioid Treatment Authority (SOTA). I have been an alcohol and substance use disorder clinician for more than 35 years and am honored to serve in this role, ensuring that all Rhode Islanders receive quality care with dignity and respect.
How does Rhode Island define “treatment” for substance use disorders, what goals does the state prioritize in its treatment approach, and what different levels of care are available in the treatment system?
The Rhode Island Behavioral Health Division prioritizes improving access to all forms of substance use disorder treatment. Rhode Island is fortunate to offer all American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) standard levels of care for alcohol and substance use disorders. This includes withdrawal management (detoxification) provided at licensed behavioral health organizations and, in some cases, through home-based withdrawal management programs. Information on bed availability can be found at www.ribhopenbeds.org [ribhopenbeds.org].
In addition, Rhode Island has five opioid treatment programs (OTPs) offering the gold standard of care—medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder. These OTPs operate in 17 locations throughout the state. For a small state, Rhode Island has a high number of available treatment services.
Treatment also means timely access. When immediate behavioral health services are needed, individuals can access the 988 Lifeline, Rhode Island’s behavioral health hotline, as well as BHLink, the state’s 24/7 behavioral health hotline and triage center. BHLink can be reached at 401-414-LINK (5465) and is located at 975 Waterman Avenue [google.com] in East Providence, RI 02914. More information is available at www.bhlink.org [bhlink.org].
How does an individual typically enter the treatment system in Rhode Island—from first contact to being placed in an appropriate level of care?
Individuals seeking help for a substance use disorder can enter the treatment system through a variety of pathways. The first step often begins with asking for help. This may include speaking with a primary care provider, calling 988 or BHLink, or researching available resources online.
Rhode Island’s website, www.preventoverdoseri.org [preventoverdoseri.org], offers comprehensive information for individuals, families, providers, and community members interested in learning more about substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery services across the state.
What role does the state play in coordinating and overseeing the treatment process across providers and agencies?
BHDDH has statutory responsibility for planning, developing, and implementing quality programming across the behavioral health system. This includes responding to and following up on patient grievances through the BHDDH hotline at 401-462-2629 and coordinating with Rhode Island’s workforce to implement the latest evidence-based clinical practices.
BHDDH licenses and conducts quality audits for 33 behavioral health agencies statewide. These agencies must meet federal and state regulatory requirements, and BHDDH maintains a dedicated team to ensure clinically appropriate services are delivered. RI has a team of people that look to ensure clinically appropriate services: Welcome to the Rhode Island Code of Regulations – Rhode Island Department of State
BHDDH serves as Co-Chair of the Governor’s Overdose Task Force and collaborates with community partners and statewide agencies to identify system needs, improve services, and strategically utilize state and federal funding.
What barriers do people in Rhode Island commonly face when trying to access or stay in treatment, and how is the state working to address those challenges?
In January 2022, Rhode Island joined the national opioid settlement with three major opioid distributors, securing more than $90 million to support state and local efforts to address the opioid crisis. Additional settlements—$21 million from Johnson & Johnson and $2.5 million from McKinsey & Co.—bring Rhode Island’s total opioid litigation recoveries to more than $114 million.
With settlement funds allocated to BHDDH to improve treatment services, significant investments have been made in substance use disorder residential treatment. These include increasing the number of treatment beds for both insured and uninsured individuals experiencing financial hardship. Settlement funds have also been used to ensure access to medications for opioid use disorder, such as buprenorphine and methadone, at no cost to individuals in need.
BHDDH has expanded additional services as well, stewarding opioid settlement funds to ensure that programs launched with these resources are sustainable long after the funding period ends. More information on how these funds have been allocated is available in the Final Opioid Settlement Annual Report – December 2025_cs.pdf
How does the state measure whether substance use disorder treatment is effective, and what outcomes are considered most important?
Rhode Island measures the effectiveness of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment through a combination of treatment-level performance metrics and statewide public health outcomes. Using data reported by licensed providers to the Rhode Island Behavioral Health On-Line Database (BHOLD), the state tracks indicators such as timely treatment initiation, level of care received, and planned versus unplanned treatment discharge, which serve as key measures of treatment quality and effectiveness. These measures help show whether services are accessible, supportive, and effective for individuals. At the system level, Rhode Island also monitors broader outcomes, including overdose mortality trends, access to medication-assisted treatment, and harm-reduction indicators such as naloxone distribution, to assess whether the overall SUD treatment and prevention system is reducing morbidity and mortality and supporting long-term recovery.
Is there anything else you’d like to share? (e.g., any additional messages, initiatives, or resources you’d like folks to be aware of?)
This January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is leading a nationwide effort to raise awareness about the importance of substance use disorder (SUD) treatment through the observance of SUD Treatment Month. The campaign highlights the many paths to recovery, the support services that complement treatment, and the importance of strong support systems.
According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 48.4 million people aged 12 or older (16.8%) experienced a substance use disorder in the past year. Of these, 27.9 million had an alcohol use disorder, 28.2 million had a drug use disorder, and 7.7 million experienced both.
Data also shows that among people aged 12 or older who needed substance use treatment in 2024, only about 1 in 5 (19.3%, or 10.2 million people) received treatment.
SUD Treatment Month serves to support:
- People contemplating or seeking help for substance use
- Practitioners treating or considering treating substance use disorder
- Friends, family members, and loved ones of individuals with substance use disorder
By raising awareness of treatment options, including medications for substance use disorders, SAMHSA seeks to:
- Break down barriers that prevent people from seeking help
- Encourage individuals on their treatment and recovery journey
- Promote best practices such as screening, intervention, and evidence-based treatment
- Help spread SAMHSA’s message through social media and public education campaigns focused on treatment, recovery resources, and hope
Every effort helps save lives. Visit SAMHSA’s SUD Treatment Month digital toolkit [samhsa.gov] to learn more.
