Opioid Safety, Education and Resources
Opioids can play an important role in managing pain, but they also carry serious risks, including dependence, overdose and opioid use disorder. Healthcare providers are essential partners in reducing these risks through appropriate prescribing, patient education, ongoing monitoring and timely connection to treatment and recovery supports.
This page brings together trusted clinical guidance and practical resources to support providers across a variety of care settings. The information can help with evaluating the benefits and risks of opioid therapy, selecting screening and monitoring tools, supporting patient-centered tapering, discussing safer pain management options and recognizing when additional assessment or treatment may be needed.
Providers can also find education and training opportunities, treatment directories, patient-provider agreements, trauma-informed care resources and tools for treating opioid use disorder. These resources are intended to support informed clinical decision-making, consistent documentation, coordinated care and safe, evidence-based treatment.
Member Education
Member-facing information about opioid safety, prevention and treatment is available on a separate page designed for members and families.
Clinical Guidelines and Prescribing Standards
Use these resources to support consistent, evidence-based opioid prescribing and documentation in accordance with North Carolina and federal guidance.
- North Carolina Medical Board – Policy for the Use of Opiates for the Treatment of Pain
Defines the standard of care for opioid prescribing, including risk assessment, multimodal therapy and documentation requirements. - CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids (2022) – Summary
Overview of CDC recommendations for safer opioid prescribing across care settings. - CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids (2022) – Full Guideline (MMWR)
Comprehensive CDC guidance for prescribing opioids for chronic pain. - CDC Overdose Prevention Hub
National tools, data and guidance focused on overdose prevention and risk reduction.
Education, Risk Screening and Monitoring
Training and screening tools to support appropriate opioid use, tapering decisions and ongoing monitoring of patients receiving opioid therapy.
Education and training
- CDC Training on Opioid Tapering – Patient-centered, evidence-based tapering practices
- North Carolina Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) – Opioid prescribing, pain management and overdose prevention education
- NC AHEC – Opioids: Addiction, Treatment & Safe Prescribing: Fee: $25
- NC AHEC – EM Controlled Substance Prescribing Modules: Fee: $10 each
- NC AHEC – Overdose Data to Action (OD2A): Free
- NC AHEC – PACT Pain Management: Free
- MAHEC – Post X-Waiver SUD Training: Fee: $25
Risk screening and monitoring tools
- Opioid Risk Tool (ORT) – Brief self-report tool for assessing risk of opioid misuse
- Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) – Clinician-administered tool for monitoring ongoing misuse
- SOAPP-R – Screening tool for identifying patients who may require closer monitoring during long-term opioid therapy
Treatment Support and Clinical Resources
Clinical tools and directories to support treatment planning, medication-assisted treatment and safe prescribing practices.
- SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Directory
Directory of opioid treatment programs, including methadone and buprenorphine services. - SAMHSA Buprenorphine Quick Start Guide
Guidance for initiating office-based buprenorphine treatment. - FDA Opioid Patient–Prescriber Agreement
Sample agreement to support patient education and shared decision-making. - ASAM Medication for Opioid Use Disorder Sample Treatment Agreement
- CDC Addiction Medicine Toolkit
- CDC Addiction Medicine Checklist
- CMS – Prescribing opioids: Resources for Providers
Documentation and compliance considerations when prescribing opioids with benzodiazepines.
Trauma-Informed Care Resources
Resources to support trauma-informed approaches to care when treating patients with pain, substance use disorders or co-occurring conditions.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is naloxone co-prescribing recommended?
Naloxone should be considered when a patient may be at increased risk for opioid overdose. Risk factors may include higher opioid dosages, concurrent use of benzodiazepines, a history of substance use disorder, a previous overdose or other clinical concerns that increase overdose risk.
What should be documented when opioids and benzodiazepines are prescribed together?
Documentation should include the clinical rationale for prescribing both medications, the benefits and risks discussed with the patient, any patient education provided, the monitoring plan and the steps taken to reduce the risk of overdose or other adverse effects.
Which tools can support opioid risk screening and monitoring?
Tools such as the Opioid Risk Tool (ORT), Current Opioid Misuse Measure (COMM) and Screener and Opioid Assessment for Patients with Pain–Revised (SOAPP-R) can support risk assessment and ongoing monitoring for patients receiving opioid therapy.
Where can providers find treatment referrals for opioid use disorder?
The SAMHSA Opioid Treatment Program Directory provides a searchable list of opioid treatment programs, including programs that offer methadone and buprenorphine treatment.