Texas A&M Psychologist Serves On Federal Opioid Crisis Task Force

Mary Meagher, professor in Texas A&M University’s College of Liberal Arts Department of Psychological & Brain Science, served as the only psychologist on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services task force to address pain management in the nation’s current opioid crisis.

The HHS report titled “Pain Management Best Practices: Updates, Gaps, Inconsistencies, and Recommendations” was released in December 2018 and responds to the opioid crisis by outlining best practices in pain management to prevent and treat opioid addiction. It was created by the Pain Management Best Practices Inter-Agency Task Force to advise agencies and call for “individualized, patient-centered pain management to improve the lives of millions of individuals who experience acute and chronic pain.”

Meagher was the single psychologist and one of two neuroscientists among the task force of 29 mostly M.D. members. These members were selected out of 500+ nominees as having significant experience in pain management, patient advocacy, mental healthcare, and more.

The Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act of 2016 formed the task force to address inconsistencies in managing acute pain.

Initial key concepts recommended by the draft report include individualized patient-centered care, ensuring safer opioid stewardship, and a multidisciplinary approach to chronic pain that includes medication, integrative health, and psychological interventions.

The report describes the initial recommendations and will be finalized and submitted to Congress later in 2019 following the 90-day public comment period.