The initial strategies and resources included on this site were carefully vetted and selected by a group of subject matter experts from the Carolinas. These criteria will be applied as the resource library grows and evolves.

The selection criteria were:

• Evidence-based, established either by previous analysis or by the resource vetting group for this project. Previous analyses were leveraged from the CDC, the SC and NC opioid settlement fund initiatives, and other sources. For resources not tied to those established strategies, the vetting group assessed whether the strategy has been successfully implemented in at least 1 place in the U.S. and whether it has demonstrated effectiveness, for example, through a meta-analysis or systematic review; through an experimental study; or from observational studies. Promising practices are also included in the library, particularly for emerging opioid use disorder trends.
• Free and open source
• Recent (~10 years and seminal works)
• Uses stigma-free language and concepts (based on the NIH “Words Matter” guide)
• Subject Matter Expert review and recommendation indicated the strategies are locally appropriate, relevant, and useful for health systems and communities in the Carolinas

The following principles guided the work of the subject matter experts involved in co-designing this resource library.

• The target audience for the resource library is hospitals and health systems in the Carolinas.
• The library will be a comprehensive virtual repository of evidence-based and promising strategies.
• The library will span a range of topics aimed at improving OUD prevention, treatment, and recovery.
• The strategies will include interventions within the hospital setting as well as interventions that require hospital coordination with community partners.
• The resource library will simplify access to existing resources and tools. The goal is not to create new strategies or to recreate the work of other organizations, but rather to synthesize and disseminate existing effective strategies to accelerate their implementation in the Carolinas.
• TA will be provided to hospitals and health systems in the Carolinas who are implementing the tools, to support the creation of implementation and operational plans.
• The library will include strategies and interventions that are actionable, achievable, and geared toward maximizing impact and effectiveness.
• Strategies that have been implemented and successful in at least 1 location in the Carolinas are preferred, but this is not a requirement.
• The library will prioritize health equity.
• The library will be informed by individuals with lived experience (i.e., the people most impacted).
• The library will use person-centered language and be free of stigma.
• The website will be accessible and easy to navigate.
• The library will evolve and grow as additional evidence-based strategies emerge.