CONGRATULATIONS D.C. NURSE PRACTITIONERS

CONGRATULATIONS D.C. NURSE PRACTITIONERS

 #DCproud

Nurse practitioners (NPs) play a crucial role in curbing the opioid crisis.  In 2018, the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention that Promotes Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) for Patients and Communities Act permanently authorized NPs, and physician assistants to prescribe medication-assisted treatments (MATs), such as buprenorphine, for persons with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). 

According to the latest data from the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), over 11,000 NPs nationwide are authorized by the Drug Enforcement Administration to prescribe MATs.  We are proud to report the District of Columbia ranks 2nd among U.S. states with the highest proportion of NPs with MAT waivers!  It is unmistakable NPs in D.C. are an integral part of improving access for individuals with OUD. 

Collaboratively, the AANP, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the American Academy of Physician Assistants have formed a free 24-hour waiver training for NPs, which can be accessed here:  https://elearning.asam.org/products/nppa-24-hour-waiver-training-aanp