Opioid Prescribing Guidelines: A State-by-State Overview

As the opioid epidemic continues to dominate our national attention, states are enacting rules on opioids, on benzodiazepines, and other controlled substances. 

Opioid prescribing guidelines and recommendations, as well as provider resources, vary by state. We've  pulled together a “provider resource bulletin board” by state. 

At AffirmHealth, we build software to support prescriber compliance across the organization. Our latest product, AffirmHealth Shield, helps organizations develop, implement and manage prescribing protocols. If responsible prescribing is important to you and your organization, having protocols in place is a must.  

NATIONAL RESOURCES

CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain: At a Glance

CDC Guidelines for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain — United States, 2016

The Comprehensive Addiciton and Recovery Act (CARA)

National Council of State Boards of Nursing: : Opioid Tool Kit

VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline For Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain

American Bar Association Prudent Prescribing: An Overview of Recent Federal and State Guidelines for Opioid Prescriptions

ALABAMA

Alabama Board of Medical Examiners & Medical Licensure Commission

A Health Care Professional's Toolbox to Reverse the Opioid Epidemic

State of Alabama Opioid Action Plan

Opioids in Alabama

Alabama Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

ALASKA

Alaska State Opioid Prescribing Policy Guide

Alaska Opioid Task Force

ASHNHA Opioid Crisis: State & Nationwide

 Alaska's Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)

Alaska HB 159: Opioids; Prescriptions; Database; Licenses

ARIZONA

Arizona Clinical Opioid Guidelines & References

Arizona Medical Association Opioid Prescribing Safety

Arizona State Board of Pharmacy: FAQ for 2018 Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act

 2018 Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

ARKANSAS

Arkansas Senate Bill 717

ASMB Proposes New Rules

Arkansas Medical Society: Professional Resources, Prescription Drug Abuse

Arkansas Emergency Department Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

CALIFORNIA

California Medical Board Prescribing Guidelines in Pain

Are Your Prescription Forms Compliant?

California Partial Fill Legislation

State of California Plan to Address Prescription Misuse, Abuse and Overdose Epidemic

COLORADO

Colorado SB 19-022: Clinical Practice for Opioid Prescribing

Opioid Prescribing Call To Action

Pain Management Resources and Opioid Use

Colorado Chapter of the American College of Emergency Room Physicians: 2017 Opioid Prescribing & Treatment Guidelines

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut Opioid Abuse Laws

Connecticut State Medical Society Opioid Resources

Backgrounder: Medicaid & Opioids

New CT Law Allows Prescribing of Controlled Substances via Telemedicine

CT Current Laws Related to Opioids Overdose Prevention

DELAWARE

Delaware Opioid Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers

Delaware Prescription Fact Sheet for Patients

MSD: Opioid Abuse and Prescribing

Opioid Addiction Resources

 Uniformed Controlled Substance Act Regulations

FLORIDA

AffirmHealth Blog: Florida Legislative Update

Florida Counterfeit Proof Prescription Pad Vendors FAQ

Florida's Opioid Crisis

Florida Take Control: Resource Kit

Florida CS/CS/HB 21

GEORGIA

Georgia PDMP Enrollment Requirements

Medical Association of Georgia Six Point Platform

Georgia's Drugs and narcotics Agency Tips for Physicians

Checklist for Prescribing Controlled Substances in Georgia for the Treatment of Chronic Pain

HAWAII

Hawaii Board of Medical Examiners Pain Management Guidelines

Hawaii's PDMP FAQ's

The-Hawaii-Opioid-Initiative, A Statewide Response

IDAHO

Idaho's PDMP FAQ's

Idaho Board of Medicine Opioid & Controlled Substance Prescribing Resources

Idaho Controlled Substance Registration for Prescribers

IROC: Idaho's response to the Opioid Crisis

ILLINOIS

Illinois Controlled Substance Act

Illinois State Medical Society Opioid Resources

Illinois Opioid Action Plan

INDIANA

Indiana State Medical Association Opioid Prescribing Controlled Substances

Indiana Overdose Prevention Resources

Indiana General Assembly Senate Bill 226: Prescribing and Dispensing of Opioids

Indiana's PDMP FAQ's   

IOWA

Iowa's PDMP FAQ's

Iowa Medical Society Opioid Resources

Iowa Pharmacy Board E-prescribing Controlled Substances

Iowa Board of Pharmacy: Summary of Drug Schedules

KANSAS

Kansas Joint Policy Statement: Use of Controlled Substances for the Treatment of Pain

Kansas HB 2217: Standards Governing The Use and Administration of Emergency Opioid Antagonists

Kansas's PDMP FAQ's

KENTUCKY

AffirmHealth Blog: Kentucky Legislative Update

Kentucky Prescribing Substance Abuse Screening & Treatment Resources

2018 Kentucky Legislative Initiatives

Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy: The Heroin Epidemic

LOUISIANA

Louisiana Opioid Prescription Policy Update

Louisiana Short Acting Opioid Prescription Policy Update

Louisiana Department of Health: Opioid Fact Sheet

Louisiana Board of Pharmacy PMP Information

LA State Board of Medical Examiners: Synopsis of Recent Changes in Opioid Prescribing Laws 

MAINE

Maryland PDMP Resources

Maine Medical Association Opioid Law Q&A

Maine Medical Society: The Newest Opioid Crisis Documents

What You Need to Know About Maine's New Opioid Prescribing Law

 Maryland Prescribing Guidelines

MARYLAND

Maryland Board of Physicians Opioid Prescribing Guidance

Overdose Prevention in Maryland

Maryland Medicaid Opioid Prescribing Guidance & Policy

MASSACHUSETTS

Fact Sheet Regarding Changes to the MA Controlled Substance Act

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Department of Industrial Accidents Workers Compensation Opioid & Controlled Substance Protocol

The Massachusetts Opioid Epidemic

Massachusetts Medical Society Opioid Therapy & Physician Communication Guidelines

 Massachusetts PDMP Resource Guide

MICHIGAN

AffirmHealth Michigan Legislative Update

Michigan Opioid Laws & FAQs

Michigan Department of Health & Human Services - Opioid Treatment Resources

State of Michigan SB 274

Michigan State Medical Society - Reversing the Opioid Epidemic

 Michigan Automated Prescription System (MAPS) Resource Guide

MINNESOTA

Minnesota Medical Association Prescription Opioid Task Force

Minnesota Opioid Prescribing Rules

Minnesota Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program

Minnesota State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis

 Minnesota Prescription Monitoring Program FAQ's

MISSISSIPPI

Mississippi Medical Board Regulations

Mississippi Opioid Prescribing Rules

Summary of Proposed Regulation Changes to 2640

How Does Mississippi's Response To Excessive Opioid Prescribing Compare To Other States

MISSOURI

A Guide to Prescribing, Administering and Dispensing Controlled Substances in Missouri

Controlled Substance Guidelines for EMS

Missouri Controlled Substance Guidelines for Practioners

MONTANA

Montana Prescription Drug Registry Resource Page

MT Opioid Overdose Prevention Resources

Montana Providers Toolkit

NEBRASKA

Nebraska Pain Management Guidance Document

Nebraska Opioid Prescribing Resource

Nebraska Drug Overdose Prevention Homepage

NEVADA

Nevada Assembly Bill 474

Nevada Resources for Prescribing Controlled Substances

Nevada Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention 

Nevada PMP Resource Section

NEW HAMPSHIRE

New Hampshire Opioid Prescribing

New Hampshire Medical Society Opioid Prescribing Resources

New Hampshire Prescribing Opioids for Pain Management

New Hampshire Nurse Practitioner Opioid Update

NEW JERSEY

New Jersey Prescribing for Pain Opioid Law

Controlled Dangerous Substances and Special Consideration for Managing Acute and Chronic Pain

New Jersey Opioid Abuse Prevention

New Jersey Academy of Family Physicians: What You Need to Know About the New Opioid Prescribing Laws

New Jersey Prescription Monitoring Program Frequently Asked Questions

NEW MEXICO

New Mexico Guidelines on Prescribing Opioids for Treatment of Pain

Review of CDC Guidelines

Prescription Drug Misuse and Overdose Prevention and Pain Management Advisory Council

 New Mexico PMP FAQ's

New Mexico Department of Health: Opioid Safety

NEW YORK

New York Prescribing and Dispensing Controlled Substances

New York State Laws Governing Opioids and Controlled

NY: Limited Initial Opioid Prescribing

 FAQ for the New York State Prescription Monitoring Program Registry

What is I-STOP

NORTH CAROLINA

North Carolina Strengthen Opioid Misuse Prevention Act

North Carolina Medical Board Professional Resources Responsible Opioid Prescribing

North Carolina Policy for the use of Opioids For the Treatment of Pain

The STOP Act Summary

 North Carolina's Controlled Substances Reporting System (CSRS) FAQ's

NORTH DAKOTA

North Dakota Medical Board Opioid Abuse Prevention a Review of Best Practice Approaches

North Dakota Prescribing and Dispensing Profile

Preventing Prescription Drug Opioid Abuse

Addressing Opioid Drug Abuse in North Dakota

North Dakota PDMP FAQ's

OHIO

Ohio Mental Health and Addiction Services Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

State Board of Ohio Opioid Prescribing Resources

Ohio State Board of Pharmacy New Requirements for Opioid Prescriptions

Ohio Automated RX Reporting System MED (Morphine Equivalent Dose) Calculator

OKLAHOMA

Oklahoma Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

Oklahoma Medical Board Use of Controlled Substances for Pain

Oklahoma Prescribing and Dispensing Guidelines

Opioid Prescribing Guidelines for Oklahoma Healthcare Practioners in an Office Based Setting

Oklahoma Emergency Department (ED) and Urgent Care Clinics (UCC) Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

OREGON

Oregon Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

Oregon Medical Association Practice Help Center Opioid Epidemic

Oregon PDMP Healthcare Provider FAQ's

Oregon Pain Guidance Provider and Community Resource: Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

Oregon Opioid Epidemic Task Force

PENNSYLVANIA

Pennsylvania Department of Health Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

Pennsylvania Medical Society Tools You Can Use Opioids

Pennsylvania's New Opioid Laws And How They Impact Physicians

PDMP Latest Updates

RHODE ISLAND

Rules and Regulations for Pain Management, Opioid Use and the Registration of Distributors of Controlled Substances in Rhode Island

State of Rhode Island Department of Health Safe Opioid Prescribing

State of Rhode Island Department of Health Existing Opioid Regulations

 Prevent Overdose RI

SOUTH CAROLINA

Revised Pain Management Guidelines South Carolina State Boards of Dentistry, Medical Examiners, Nursing and Pharmacy 2017

South Carolina Department of Health Opioid Resources

South Carolina State Board of Medical Examiners: Pain Management Guidelines

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control New Schedules for Controlled Substances

The South Carolina Reporting & Identification Prescription Tracking System (SCRIPTS) Resource Page

SOUTH DAKOTA

South Dakota Controlled Substance Registration for Practitioners

SD Statewide Response to the Opioid Crisis

South Dakota Department of Health Prescription Opioid Abuse Prevention Initiative

The Journal of the South Dakota Medical Association: Addressing the Challenges of Prescribing Controlled Drugs

 South Dakota Board of Pharmacy PDMP FAQ's

TENNESSEE

AffirmHealth Tennessee Legislative Update

Tennessee Laws & Policies

Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines

Tennessee Pain Clinic Rules

TN Controlled Substance Monitoring Database and Prescription Safety Act FAQ's

Tennessee Medical Association Member Resource Center

TEXAS

Texas Medical Board Minimum Requirements for the Treatment of Chronic Pain

Texas Medical Association House of Delegates: Responsible Opioid Prescribing for Pain Management

Texas Medical Board Pain Management Clinic Registration

Texas State Board of Pharmacy: Information Regarding Controlled Substances

 Texas Prescription Monitoring FAQ's

Texas Medical Association Opioid Resources

UTAH

Utah Clinical Guidelines on Prescribing Opioids for Treatment of Pain

Utah Medical Association: Controlled Substances: Education for the Prescriber

Utah Department of Health, Violence & Injury Prevention Program: Prescription Opioid Deaths

Utah Controlled Substances Database Program Overview and Resources

VERMONT

Vermont Department of Health: Regultions For Opioid Prescribing for Pain

Vermont Department of Health, Vermont Medical Society Opioid and VPMS Rules Summary

Vermont Medical Society: Opiate Prescribing & Substance Use Disorder Information

 Vermont Opioid and Prescribing Resources for Patients and Providers

VIRGINIA

Virginia Regulations Governing Prescribing of Opioids and Buprenorphine

Dear Prescriber Letter from the VA Department of Health Professionals

Medical Society of Virginia: Mandatory Prescribing Regulations for Treating Pain and Addiction

 Virginia PMP Toolkit

WASHINGTON

Washington State ESHB 1427

Interagency Guidelines on Prescribing Opioids for Pain: Developed by the Washington State Agency Medical Directors’ Group (AMDG)

Washington State Department of Health: Pain Management Resources

Washington PMP Provider Frequently Asked Questions

WEST VIRGINIA

West Virginia Board of Medicine Management of Pain Act

Substance Abuse in West Virginia: The Road Forward

Best Practices for Prescribing Opioids in West Virginia

A Guide to State Opioid Prescribing Policy: West Virginia

WISCONSIN

 Wisconsin Department of Health Services Provider Resources: Opioids

Wisconsin State Legislature 961.385 Prescription Drug Monitoring Program

Wisconsin Medical Society: Opioid Prescribing Principles

WYOMING

Wyoming Controlled Substances Act/Rule 2017 & WORx

Wyoming State Board of Pharmacy: Controlled Susbstance Registration

Workers' Compensation Division Treatment Guidelines for Chronic Non-Malignant Pain

Wyoming Department of Health: Opioid Abuse Data and Resources

THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

DC Emergency Department Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

The DC Center for Rational Prescribing

The District of Columbia Prescribing and Dispensing Profile

The District of Columbia Department of Health: Getting Patients Off of Opioids

To learn more about compliant prescribing check out some of our recent blog posts on the topic:

• Opioid Prescribing in 2018: Protect Your Patients. Protect Your Practice.
• Pain in the Paperwork: Determine Risk and Document Medical Necessity
• A Platform to Facilitate Pain Management Compliance
• Does your Practice Have Effective Opioid Prescribing Protocols?
• Are You Effectively Assessing Risk When Prescribing Opioids?
• SAMHSA Medication Assisted Treatment Protocols Are Out: Here's What You Need to Know

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