2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 78
BY SENATOR BOUDREAUX
A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
To urge and request the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and the Louisiana State Board of
Medical Examiners to report on the number of advanced practice registered nurses
and the number of physician assistants that provide medication-assisted treatment
(MAT) in Louisiana.
WHEREAS, on July 22, 2016, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act
(CARA) was enacted as Public Law 114-198, in an effort to authorize additional treatment
options to battle the opioid crisis; and
WHEREAS, one of CARA's important provisions expanded authority to advanced
practice registered nurses (APRNs) and physician assistants (PAs) to provide
medication-assisted treatment (MAT), which includes the provision of substance abuse
treatment services and overdose reversal medications and extending the privilege of
prescribing buprenorphine under certain regulatory restrictions; and
WHEREAS, the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Substance
Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, has established eligibility for APRNs and
PAs to participate in MAT, including twenty-four hours of approved initial training and
submission of a United States Drug Enforcement Administration waiver application; and
WHEREAS, Louisiana has been availing itself of every possible resource to battle
the opioid crisis, including provision of MAT services allowed pursuant to federal law; and
WHEREAS, the Louisiana State Board of Nursing regulates APRNs and the
Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners regulates PAs; and
WHEREAS, monitoring our efforts in battling the opioid crisis will better equip the
regulatory bodies and the Louisiana Department of Health in overall opioid crisis
management.
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THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
request the Louisiana State Board of Nursing and the Louisiana State Board of Medical
Examiners to report on the number of advanced practice registered nurses and the number
of physician assistants that provide medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in Louisiana.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that annually, beginning on February 1, 2020, the
Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners and the Louisiana State Board of Nursing shall
issue a written report to the chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Welfare, the
chairman of the House Committee on Health and Welfare, and to the secretary of the
Louisiana Department of Health, to include the number of APRNs and PAs who were
certified to provide MAT services for the prior calendar year.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that to the extent the information is reasonably
obtainable, the two boards shall also report the number of APRNs and PAs certified to
provide MAT services who are presently treating patients for opioid addiction.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the
executive director of the Louisiana State Board of Nursing, the executive director of the
Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners, and the secretary of the Louisiana Department
of Health.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
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