National Initiatives

The Community Access and Resource Education (CARE) Packet initiative is a Voices of Equity service-based project designed to improve access to care beyond the clinical setting.

Healthcare does not end at discharge. For many patients, recovery and long-term health depend on access to food, housing, transportation, financial assistance, mental health support, and other community-based services. CARE Packets help bridge this gap by connecting patients with vetted, local resources that address the social determinants of health.

Through this initiative, Voices of Equity chapters develop patient-facing resource packets tailored to the specific needs of their surrounding communities. Each packet is grounded in publicly available Community Health Assessments (CHAs) and Community Health Improvement Plans (CHIPs), ensuring alignment with documented local health priorities. Resources included in CARE Packets are verified for accuracy and relevance, with the goal of being usable, accessible, and trusted by both patients and healthcare providers.

CARE Packets are intended for use by hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers, and community health organizations as supplemental discharge or referral materials. By creating free, locally relevant tools that can be updated annually, the initiative prioritizes sustainable impact over one-time interventions.

Addiction is not only a medical condition, but also a deeply rooted equity issue. Substance use and abuse are shaped by disparities in access to care, stigma, systemic bias, and socioeconomic barriers. Systemic and institutional factors shape differences in education about substance use, physical access to effective treatments, and financial support for rehabilitation services, among other inequities. Understanding these effects and differences is essential to comprehending the occurrence and prevalence of addiction and identifying ways to support those in need. Through this initiative, we aimed to educate, advocate, and take action to support individuals and communities impacted by addiction.

As part of this initiative, all chapters participated in Health Equity Week (October 20–26, 2025), a coordinated effort across more than 40 universities. This week included:

• •Fundraising efforts to support national and local partners advancing equity in addiction care.
• •Advocacy campaigns that raised awareness and pushed for systemic change.
• •Educational modules that grounded members in the science, policies, and lived realities of addiction.
• •Panels and guest speakers featuring professionals, advocates, and individuals with lived experience who inspired meaningful action.