Updated Training Requirements to Prescribing Controlled Substances

TheOmnibus Bill, passed by Congress in December 2022, changed requirements for prescribing controlled substances under the Medication Access and Training Expansion (MATE) Act. The MATE Act requires all prescribers of schedule II-V controlled substances to complete a total of 8 hours of training on treating opioid use disorder (OUD) or substance use disorder (SUD).

Eligibility

Currently, many physicians hold prior eligibility and do not need to complete an additional 8 hours of training.

You are eligible to continue prescribing as is and do not need additional training if you have fulfilled ANY of the following requirements: 1) you are a board-certified physician in addiction medicine or addiction psychiatry from the American Board of Medical Specialties, the American Board of Addiction Medicine, or the American Osteopathic Association; 2) you have completed X-waiver training at any point in your medical career; 3) you have completed the one-time 12-hour CME training on pain management and the treatment of terminally ill and dying patients which included 8 hours of training on buprenorphine or other opioid replacement treatments; 4) you completed at least 8 hours of training from an accredited ACCME source, within (must have graduated after June 27th, 2018) or outside of medical school, on treating and managing patients with OUD/SUD; 5) you completed at least 8 hours of training on the safe pharmacological management of dental pain and screening, intervention, and treatment referral for OUD and SUD.

You are not eligible and need to complete 8 hours of training if: 1) You graduated from medical school prior to June 27, 2018, and have not completed 8 hours of training on treating and managing patients with OUD/SUD nor completed 8 hours of trainings on the safe pharmacological management of dental pain and screening, intervention, and treatment referral for OUD/ SUD; 2) you have not registered with the DEA to prescribe schedule II-V controlled substances.

Get Trained

The training requirements, although extensive, are flexible in what trainings can be used to complete the total eight hours of training. You do not need to complete all eight hours in a day and can split up training sessions as you personally see fits your schedule best. Visit accma.org/News and click the Updated Requirements on Prescribing Controlled Substances article to access free, self-paced trainings through the Provider Clinical Support System (PCSS), including the SUD 101 Core Curriculum and Buprenorphine training.

Reporting Eligibility

All physicians must record their eligibility during their DEA license renewal (every 3 years) or during their initial application to prescribe controlled substances. You will not need to submit documentation of completed training. Eligibility is based on honest self-reporting from prescribing physicians.

June 27th, 2023 is when the MATE Act will take effect and is not a deadline for registration with the DEA. You will only be able to report your eligibility to the DEA after June 27th. Keep in mind, the renewal date for DEA registration is unique to each provider and is due 3 years after initial registration. All physicians who wish to prescribe schedule II – V controlled substance must report their eligibility during their registration renewal or upon initial registration. Visit accma.org/News for more information or call us at (510) 654-5383.