Find Buprenorphine Training

The Drug Addiction Treatment Act of 2000 (DATA 2000), the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and the Substance Use-Disorder Prevention Opioid Recovery and Treatment for Patients and Communities (SUPPORT) Act allows qualified practitioners to dispense or prescribe buprenorphine for the treatment of opioid use disorders (OUD) in settings other than opioid treatment programs (OTP), upon completion of specialized training.

To receive a practitioner waiver to administer, dispense, and prescribe buprenorphine, practitioners must notify SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), Division of Pharmacologic Therapies (DPT) of their intent to practice this form of medication-assisted treatment (MAT). The notification of intent (NOI) must be submitted to SAMHSA before the initial dispensing or prescribing of OUD treatment medication.

Qualified practitioners include physicians, Nurse Practitioners (NPs), Physician Assistants (PAs), Clinical Nurse Specialists (CNSs), Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNAs), and Certified Nurse-Midwifes (CNMs).

Recent Practice Guidelines have allowed for some greater flexibility in NOI requirements: The original pathway is the standard NOI which requires eligible providers to undertake required training activities prior to their application to prescribe Buprenorphine; the alternative flexibility for the NOI allows those providers who wish to treat up to 30 patients to forego the training requirement, as well as certification to counseling and other ancillary services (i.e., psychosocial services). Practitioners utilizing the training exemption are limited to treating no more than 30 patients at any one time (time spent practicing under this exemption will not qualify the practitioner for a higher patient limit). This exemption applies only to the prescription of Schedule III, IV, and V drugs or combinations of such drugs, covered under the CSA, such as buprenorphine.

SAMHSA funds the Providers’ Clinical Support System (PCSS) to provide practitioner training in the evidence-based prevention and treatment of OUD and offers the required trainings needed to apply for standard buprenorphine waiver notifications.

• Physician Buprenorphine Waiver Training – 8-hour training
• Nurses Buprenorphine Waiver Training (NPs, CNSs, CRNAs, CNMs) – 24-hour training
• Physician Assistant Buprenorphine Waiver Training – 24-hour training

SAMHSA offers tools, training, and technical assistance to practitioners in the fields of mental and substance use disorders. Find information on SAMHSA training and resources. SAMHSA has developed a Buprenorphine Quick Start Guide (PDF | 1.4 KB) and pocket guide (PDF | 200 KB) for all practitioners seeking to prescribe buprenorphine.

Payment Program for Rural Health Clinics Buprenorphine-Trained Providers. In June 2021, the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) launched an effort to improve access to medications for opioid use disorder treatment by paying for providers who are waivered to prescribe buprenorphine, a medication used to treat opioid use disorder. Rural Health Clinics (RHCs) still have the opportunity to apply for a $3,000 payment on behalf of each provider who trained to obtain the waiver necessary to prescribe buprenorphine after January 1, 2019. Approximately $1.2 million in program funding remains available for RHCs and will be paid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are exhausted. Information and registration for free waiver training is available. Please contact DATA2000WaiverPayments@hrsa.gov with any questions.

Additional training organizations include the American Society of Addiction Medicine, American Academy of Addiction Psychiatry, American Medical Association, American Osteopathic Association, American Psychiatric Association, American Nurses Credentialing Center, American Association of Nurse Practitioners, American Academy of Physician Assistants, or any other organization deemed appropriate by the Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Disclaimer

The views expressed in these courses and related materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS); nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Acknowledgements

SAMHSA-supported courses are planned and implemented in accordance with the Essential Areas and Policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through joint sponsorship with the host organizations and SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).

Learn more about buprenorphine.