Rhode Island Prescription Drug Monitoring Program Enhancement

The Comprehensive Opioid Abuse Site-based Program (COAP) was developed as part of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) legislation. COAP’s purpose is to provide financial and technical assistance to states, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments to plan, develop, and implement comprehensive efforts to identify, respond to, treat, and support those impacted by the opioid epidemic. The Harold Rogers Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) has been incorporated into the FY 2019 COAP solicitation. The purpose of the Harold Rogers PDMP is to improve collaboration and strategic decision making among regulatory and law enforcement agencies and public health entities to address prescription drug and opioid abuse, save lives, and reduce crime.

COAP aims to reduce opioid abuse and the number of overdose fatalities, as well as to mitigate the impacts on crime victims by supporting comprehensive, collaborative initiatives. The program also supports the implementation, enhancement, and proactive use of PDMPs to support clinical decision making and prevent the abuse and diversion of controlled substances. Grantees are prohibited from using federal funds to support activities that violate the Controlled Substances Act.

The objective of Category 3 is to strengthen the nation’s PDMP system and support enhancements to PDMPs that improve clinical decision making and prevent the abuse and diversion of controlled substances. Category 3 grant funds may be used to establish or enhance a PDMP system; facilitate the exchange of information and collection of data on prescriptions and other scheduled chemical products among states; develop a training program for system users; produce and disseminate educational materials; support collaborations among law enforcement, prosecutors, public health officials, treatment providers, and/or drug courts; facilitate electronic information sharing among states in compliance with the Prescription Monitoring Information Exchange (PMIX) National Architecture; expand monitoring to Schedules II, III, IV, and V; improve the quality and accuracy of PDMP data; develop or enhance the capacity to provide unsolicited reports of controlled substance prescribing to authorized individuals or entities; and/or assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the PDMP program or specific PDMP initiatives.

The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) PDMP Enhancement Project will strengthen the organization of RIDOH’s PDMP, build dedicated staffing, engage stakeholders as well as plan and develop enhancements conforming to best practices. To further strengthen the PDMP, RIDOH is working with the Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to secure additional CMS funding for actual implementation of PDMP enhancements that are going to be outputs of this grant.

CA/NCF