
By: Jody Lutz
Reading Time: 23 minutes
Date: 10/10/2019
Filed Under: Opioid Prescribing Guidelines, opioid prescribing
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
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
Alabama Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP)
ALASKA
Alaska State Opioid Prescribing Policy Guide
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 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
CONNECTICUT
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
Uniformed Controlled Substance Act Regulations
FLORIDA
AffirmHealth Blog: Florida Legislative Update
Florida Counterfeit Proof Prescription Pad Vendors FAQ
Florida Take Control: Resource Kit
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
The-Hawaii-Opioid-Initiative, A Statewide Response
IDAHO
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
INDIANA
Indiana State Medical Association Opioid Prescribing Controlled Substances
Indiana Overdose Prevention Resources
Indiana General Assembly Senate Bill 226: Prescribing and Dispensing of Opioids
IOWA
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
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
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
The Massachusetts Opioid Epidemic
Massachusetts Medical Society Opioid Therapy & Physician Communication Guidelines
Massachusetts PDMP Resource Guide
MICHIGAN
AffirmHealth Michigan Legislative Update
Michigan Department of Health & Human Services - Opioid Treatment Resources
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
NEBRASKA
Nebraska Pain Management Guidance Document
Nebraska Opioid Prescribing Resource
Nebraska Drug Overdose Prevention Homepage
NEVADA
Nevada Resources for Prescribing Controlled Substances
Nevada Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention
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
Prescription Drug Misuse and Overdose Prevention and Pain Management Advisory Council
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
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
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
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
RHODE ISLAND
State of Rhode Island Department of Health Safe Opioid Prescribing
State of Rhode Island Department of Health Existing Opioid Regulations
SOUTH CAROLINA
South Carolina Department of Health Opioid Resources
South Carolina State Board of Medical Examiners: Pain Management Guidelines
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
South Dakota Board of Pharmacy PDMP FAQ's
TENNESSEE
AffirmHealth Tennessee Legislative Update
Tennessee Chronic Pain Guidelines
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
WASHINGTON
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
Subscribe to our blog, so you can stay up-to-date on this topic:
The information presented on or through this website is made available solely for general information purposes and is not intended to substitute for professional, medical or legal advice. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials.
Comments