§ 12-30-114. Demonstrated Competency – Opiate Prescribers – Rules – Definition

1. 1. The applicable licensing board for each licensed health-care provider, in consultation with the center for research into substance use disorder prevention, treatment, and recovery support strategies created in section 27-80-118, shall promulgate rules that require each licensed health-care provider, as a condition of renewing, reactivating, or reinstating a license on or after October 1, 2022, to complete up to four credit hours of training per licensing cycle in order to demonstrate competency regarding: Best practices for opioid prescribing, according to the most recent version of the division’s guidelines for the safe prescribing and dispensing of opioids; the potential harm of inappropriately limiting prescriptions to chronic pain patients; best practices for prescribing benzodiazepines; recognition of substance use disorders; referral of patients with substance use disorders for treatment; and the use of the electronic prescription drug monitoring program created in part 4 of article 280 of this title 12.
   2. The rules promulgated by each board shall exempt a licensed health-care provider who:
      1. Maintains a national board certification that requires equivalent substance use prevention training; or
      2. Attests to the appropriate board that the health-care provider does not prescribe opioids.
2. For the purposes of this section, “licensed health-care provider” includes a physician, physician assistant, podiatrist, dentist, advanced practice nurse with prescriptive authority, optometrist, and veterinarian licensed pursuant to this title 12.

Source: L. 2019: Entire section added, (SB 19-228), ch. 276, p. 2609, § 14, effective October 1. L. 2021: (1)(a) amended, (HB 21-1276), ch. 364, p. 2399, § 8, effective July 1.

Cross references: For the legislative declaration in HB 21-1276, see section 1 of chapter 364, Session Laws of Colorado 2021.