We agree with Dennis McCarty and colleagues that moving addiction treatment into the mainstream is a critical priority, and that includes better integration with physical and mental health care in outpatient settings (Jan 2013). This task is complex and important. We would like to add that hurdles to achieving this integration may be greater for racial or ethnic minorities, given that minority populations are less likely to have established relationships with primary care providers and are more likely to be uninsured than other populations. We feel strongly that overcoming these issues should be a priority with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.
