Joint Dear Colleague Letter On Expanding Access To MOUD Through Pharmacist State Scope-Of-Practice Flexibility

July 2, 2026

The letter was jointly released on June 18, 2026, by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA), the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The three agencies seek to reduce opioid overdoses to accomplish two goals: strengthening families to prevent unnecessary foster care entry and expanding access to evidence-based treatment for opioid addiction disorder to help more people achieve long-term recovery and self-sufficiency. It proposes that states could authorize appropriately trained and licensed pharmacists to prescribe medications to treat opioid use disorder (MOUD) consistent with federal law and state standards of care.