Medication Treatments for Youth and Young Adults With Opioid Use Disorder.

Opioid use disorder (OUD) and overdose deaths are increasingly prevalent among youth and young adults; however, the evidence-based medication-assisted treatments (MATs) that have U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval for the treatment of adults are not approved for persons aged 16 to 18 years. New guidelines from the American Society of Addiction Medicine provide information on the risks and benefits of MAT with youth and young adults that help guide decision making. Clinical decisions require a thorough physical and psychiatric evaluation, risk/benefit analysis in treatment planning, and collaboration with youth and young adults to engage support systems. The current article presents an overview of the three available maintenance treatments for youth and young adults with OUD. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 59(5), 9-13.].