The mission of the Medication Addiction Treatment Initiative in the VA (MAT-VA) is to improve health outcomes in Veterans with Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) through the use of medications—in combination with non-pharmacological treatment approaches—in a wide variety of outpatient and inpatient clinical environments.

As an initiative from the State of Utah, the Program of Addiction Research, Clinical Care, Knowledge, and Advocacy (PARCKA) and the Substance Use in Pregnancy Recovery Addiction Dependence (SUPeRAD) Clinic have partnered to enhance prenatal and postpartum care to those with substance use disorders in rural Utah counties. This goal is implemented through provider and community education, as well as increasing SUD screening and referral.

To improve access to care by implementing evidence-based addiction-related prevention, treatment, and recovery activities and services to reduce the morbidity and mortality of substance use disorder—including opioid use disorder—in high-risk rural communities, while improving the knowledge of addiction recovery, treatment, and recovery and implementation processes of rural health care practitioners.

The overarching goal of the VIP Initiative is to improve the health of Veterans who are particularly vulnerable due to medical disease and/or their social determinants through a unique longitudinal, primary care service delivery model.