Implementing the ASAM Criteria for SUD Treatment through Medicaid Managed Care

This issue brief draws from the experiences of states that were among the first to implement their SUD waivers to profile how the American Society for Addiction Medicine (ASAM) Criteria is used within the context of managed care and utilization review, and the challenges and best practices associated with its use.

The ASAM Criteria is a clinically driven multidimensional client assessment model that emphasizes treatment outcomes, client-specific lengths of service, and a team-based approach to care.