Facing the Fentanyl Era: Protecting Youth and Communities from Harm of an Evolving Drug Landscape

Yngvild Olsen, MD, MPH

Dr. Yngvild Olsen is a National Advisor with Manatt Health. A nationally recognized leader in addiction medicine, public health policy and clinical care integration, Yngvild provides strategic counsel to clients working with substance use disorders (SUDs), particularly opioid use disorder, primary care integration and Medicaid, as well as state block grants, Medicaid waivers and behavioral health integration efforts.

With over two decades of experience across clinical, academic and governmental roles at the local, state and federal level—including leadership at REACH Health Services, Johns Hopkins and the Baltimore Substance Abuse System—Yngvild brings unmatched knowledge, deep policy insight and a strong national network. She is board-certified in addiction medicine, trained in general internal medicine and is widely respected for her contributions to advancing addiction treatment and recovery nationwide. She has also advised states on the use of Medicaid waivers, block grant alignment and behavioral health integration strategies.

Most recently, Yngvild served as the Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), where she oversaw $5 billion in grant funding and led national efforts to expand access to care, strengthen the behavioral health workforce and promote evidence-based practices in the treatment of SUDs. Yngvild has also held leadership roles at the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM), where she led the association’s policy position development on a range of substance use-related issues and provided input on the ASAM Criteria or continuum of care, which is the most widely used and comprehensive set of standards and framework for the specialized treatment of patients with addiction and co-occurring conditions.