KU researchers present statewide substance-use needs assessment, urge public-health approach

The Center for Public Partnerships and Research at the University of Kansas delivered a statewide needs assessment to the KFA board on April 11, detailing prevalence estimates, service gaps and recommended priorities to strengthen Kansas’ response to substance use disorder (SUD).

The assessment, presented by Janine Heron and Silke von Essenwein of KU-CPPR and introduced by Sunflower staffer Alyssa, documented a widespread need for services across the state and recommended a public-health approach emphasizing coordinated community supports, prevention and sustained recovery services. Janine Heron, associate director at KU-CPPR, said the team reached more than 2,000 people across all 105 Kansas counties and used more than 70 quantitative data sources to produce the report.

Silke von Essenwein, senior researcher at KU-CPPR, summarized key prevalence findings: “about 1 in 5 adults in the state, about 400000 people meet the criteria for substance use disorder.” She said young adults ages 18 to 25 show the highest rates—“nearly 1 in 3” in that age group—and that many who meet clinical criteria do not perceive a need for treatment. The presenters reported that more than 90 percent of people who meet clinical criteria for SUD do not believe they need help and that about 95 percent of people who died of overdose had no documented history of treatment, indicating missed opportunities for earlier intervention.

The report highlighted wide geographic and demographic variation. Urban counties such as Sedgwick, Shawnee and Wyandotte show high incident rates, but nonurban and frontier counties were also identified as vulnerable. Researchers produced an expanded vulnerability index incorporating more than 20 factors (housing, food security, social supports, childcare access and community environment) to show that counties sharing a vulnerability score can still face very different underlying risks and therefore need tailored responses.

KU-CPPR analyzed integrated claims data from Medicaid, Medicare, block-grant funding and commercial insurance. The presenters said block-grant funds support roughly 40 percent of patients and are the majority payer for methamphetamine treatment; commercial insurers pay an estimated 38 percent of treatment episodes; Medicare accounts for a smaller share but serves a population with complex needs. The team reported underuse of evidence-based interventions: in 02/2023, “less than 4 percent of people in treatment received medication for opioid use disorder,” and block-grant dollars funded more than 60 percent of MOUD (medications for opioid use disorder) use in the state.

Presenters flagged workforce shortages, long wait times and fragmented referral pathways. They said many communities rely on short-term grants—roughly two-thirds of SUD funding in Kansas comes from federal, largely time‑limited grants—leaving services vulnerable when grant cycles end. The KU team emphasized that settlement funds offer an opportunity to invest in infrastructure rather than short-term fixes.

CPPR proposed six priorities with initial strategies: (1) develop structured relationships to support community-driven health and integrated data collection; (2) reduce stigma through lived-experience leadership and stigma-reduction training for public-facing roles; (3) prioritize prevention at multiple levels and systemize naloxone and test-strip distribution; (4) expand statewide access to high-quality, flexible treatment (including medical detox and MOUD) and local professional development; (5) normalize continuous, recovery-oriented care with housing and transportation supports and transition planning; and (6) ensure long-term programmatic and financial stability through collaborative planning and learning collaboratives. Janine Heron said the full written report will be delivered “on or before the thirtieth of this month” and that an interactive dashboard and appendices will accompany it.

Board members discussed scheduling a follow-up Q&A session; the chair asked staff to circulate potential dates and noted the board would likely meet again via Webex for 30–60 minutes before the full report release. The KU presenters told the board they had engaged lived-experience consultants throughout the 15‑month process and had produced maps and tools intended to guide local, place‑based decisions.

The assessment framed harm reduction—naloxone distribution, fentanyl test strips and other low‑barrier strategies—as life‑saving measures that should be expanded and tailored to local communities. Silke pointed to sharply higher overdose death rates among middle‑aged adults and disproportionate impacts on Black Kansans. The presenters urged investments in outreach, low‑barrier entry points and continuity of care to reach people before crises occur.

The board did not take formal funding actions during the presentation but agreed to continue the discussion in a future session to review the full written report and dashboard tools once delivered.