The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has developed an opioid prescriber resource guide to help improve patients’ pain management, while avoiding opioid misuse and addiction.

The resources will help physicians address this critical issue with their patients and include:

• Strategies for assisting high-risk patients
• Information on medication-assisted treatment certification programs
• How to locate local addiction recovery services
• Information about CURES (California’s prescription drug monitoring program)
• Opioid prescribing guidelines

Additional resources are available on the California Medical Association’s CMA) safe prescribing resource page. The page includes the most current information and resources on prescribing controlled substances safely and effectively to relieve pain, while simultaneously reducing the risk of prescription medication misuse, addiction and overdose. You will also find two CMA white papers on prescribing opioids, links to CMA’s health law library resources on the topic, a listing of continuing medical education courses and webinars on pain management and safe prescribing, and more.