Getting Stuff Done: The Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ new licensing program will break down barriers to substance use disorder treatment for Pennsylvanians, making more providers available.
Harrisburg, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs (DDAP) announced today the creation of a new licensure program to obtain a telehealth-only license that allows substance use disorder (SUD) treatment providers to obtain a telehealth-only license, expanding access to more Pennsylvanians and meeting them where they are. The program is open and accepting applications.
Prior to this program, only drug and alcohol facilities with a physical location in Pennsylvania could apply to DDAP for a license to operate. This new type of license does not require a physical location in order for a treatment provider to administer services. Licensed treatment providers that have a physical office site in Pennsylvania do not need to apply for any additional or different license to serve people who choose telehealth services.
“I am proud to announce that DDAP is expanding access to treatment by issuing licensure for telehealth-only providers, making services available to more Pennsylvania residents and expanding opportunity for those who want to help their neighbors struggling with SUD,” said DDAP Secretary Dr. Latika Davis-Jones. “This new provider license is breaking down one of the largest barriers to treatment, closing the health equity gap that currently exists, and strengthening supports for some of our most vulnerable Pennsylvanians.”
The telehealth-only license applies to treatment providers serving individuals who are located in Pennsylvania and seeking intake, evaluation and referral or non-residential, partial hospitalization, or outpatient treatment. Specifically, existing DDAP-licensed drug and alcohol treatment programs may provide these services via telehealth-only as long as the facility complies with all applicable federal, state, and local laws.
Recently, licensed drug and alcohol facilities have reported experiencing a positive experience with the use of telehealth services, after offering telehealth services during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, those who receive such services are facing less barriers to treatment, such as transportation and childcare.
A facility seeking to be licensed to provide telehealth-only services, without a physical location, will be required to, among other things:
- Maintain client records on a web-based electronic health record program.
- Maintain an electronic system for personnel files, including training records.
- Agree to provide DDAP remote access to the facility files and client records at any time access is requested in accordance with 42 CFR 2.53 — audit and evaluation.
The Shapiro Administration is prioritizing expanding access to SUD services and supports in rural areas of the Commonwealth. For instance, DDAP recently:
- Licensed the state’s first mobile licensed narcotic treatment program. This mobile initiative will bring evidence-based treatment and services to individuals struggling with SUD and co-occurring conditions to help save lives in rural central and northern regions of the Commonwealth.
- Announced $22 million in student loan repayment funding to assist approximately 400 practitioners within the SUD treatment, prevention, case management and recovery support services workforce. The program prioritizes SUD professionals who work in rural areas of the Commonwealth that are experiencing SUD workforce shortages as well as those who provide SUD services in counties with underserved populations.
Currently, there are nearly 800 DDAP-licensed brick-and-mortar SUD treatment facilities across the Commonwealth offering inpatient, outpatient and other treatment programs, and over 350 licensed recovery houses. Individuals seeking substance use treatment or recovery resources can be connected to local SUD resources by calling the toll-free PA Get Help Now helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) or by using Treatment Atlas, a free, online locator tool to help Pennsylvanians confidentially find SUD treatment that meets their needs.
Learn more about the Shapiro Administration’s efforts in combating the overdose crisis at pa.gov/opioids.
