DEA MATE 8-Hour Training: SUD & Pain Management

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

1. Pain Management: A Guide to Safe Prescribing (4 hrs)

   • Upon completion, the learner will be able to:

     • Distinguish between pathophysiological mechanisms of nociceptive, neuropathic, and nociplastic pain.

     • Evaluate common acute and chronic pain etiologies to determine appropriate pharmacological or non-pharmacological interventions.

     • Apply multidimensional assessment strategies that account for culture, bias, and psychosocial factors in the pain experience.

     • Differentiate between tolerance, physical dependence, and addiction to prevent misdiagnosis.

     • Implement risk-mitigation strategies, including the use of PDMP, to support safe opioid prescribing and prevent diversion.

2. Prescribing Essentials: Principles in Safe and Responsible Medication Use (3 hrs)

   • Upon completion, the learner will be able to

     • Analyze federal and state controlled-substance prescribing requirements, including PDMP use, documentation standards, and compliance workflows.

     • Demonstrate evidence-based pain management principles and appropriate prescribing to reduce patient risk while supporting effective symptom control.

     • Compare clinical strategies for acute pain management, including multimodal interventions, with palliative care approaches for patients with serious illness.

     • Implement validated screening and response protocols for patients exhibiting signs of substance misuse, opioid misuse, or substance use disorder.

     • Evaluate ethical, legal, and patient-centered clinical frameworks for prescribing and care coordination within the professional scope of practice.

3. Prescribing Opioids and Benzodiazepines: Strategies for Harm Reduction and Monitoring (1 hr)

   • Upon completion, the learner will be able to

     • Analyze misuse risk factors using validated screening tools, PDMP data, and comorbidity assessment.

     • Implement safe prescribing protocols for opioids and benzodiazepines, addressing co-prescribing risks and harm reduction strategies.

     • Evaluate non-pharmacologic and non-opioid options as part of a whole-person pain management plan, using controlled substances only when benefits outweigh risks with appropriate monitoring.

This 8-hour bundle satisfies the federal MATE Act's one-time opioid/substance use disorder training requirement for DEA registration by combining three ACCME-accredited courses. Pain Management: A Guide to Safe Prescribing (4 hrs) covers pain pathophysiology, multidimensional assessment, and safe opioid prescribing with PDMP-based risk mitigation. Prescribing Essentials: Principles in Safe and Responsible Medication Use (3 hrs) addresses federal/state controlled-substance compliance, evidence-based pain and palliative care, and validated substance-use-disorder screening. Prescribing Opioids and Benzodiazepines: Strategies for Harm Reduction and Monitoring (1 hr) applies the 2022 CDC guideline strategies for misuse-risk screening, safe co-prescribing, and non-opioid alternatives. Together, prescribers gain a complete, guideline-aligned foundation in safe controlled-substance prescribing.

Courses Included:

• Pain Management: A Guide to Safe Prescribing

• Prescribing Essentials: Principles in Safe and Responsible Medication Use

• Prescribing Opioids and Benzodiazepines Strategies for Harm Reduction and Monitoring