Addressed to: NJ Governor's Office · NJ Division of Consumer Affairs · NJ Department of Human Services

New Jersey Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence (NJATOD)

Started this petition · New Jersey

Thousands of New Jersey patients in medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder are at risk of losing access to their care. We are asking Governor Sherrill's office and the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs to act now — before May 16.

What happened

On February 17, 2026, the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) issued an advisory confirming that the COVID-19 telemedicine waivers for Schedule II controlled dangerous substance (CDS) prescribing have expired, following Governor Murphy's signing of Executive Order 415. As a result, all Schedule II prescribing — including methadone for opioid use disorder — is now subject to N.J.S.A. 45:1-62(e), which requires an in-person visit every 90 days. This takes effect May 16, 2026.

Why this is a crisis for OTP patients

Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) already operate under a strict federal framework (42 C.F.R. Part 8) that requires regular in-person visits — patients come to the clinic at least monthly for their medication. They are not telehealth-only patients. Applying a blanket 90-day in-person prescriber rule to this population ignores how OTPs actually work and creates serious, unnecessary barriers to care.

The consequences of this rule — as currently interpreted — are severe:

• Providers would need to schedule quarterly in-person prescriber visits for thousands of stable patients who are already seen in person at the clinic regularly.
• This affects not only patients within the OTP setting but also people in nursing homes, residential programs, on mobile units and correctional facilities receiving MOUD.
• Disruptions to the prescribing cycle could interrupt dosing continuity, forcing patients to miss doses of a medication they depend on for their recovery and their lives.
• Patients receiving methadone while incarcerated face especially severe barriers, with no clear pathway to meet in-person visit requirements while in custody.
• The rule does not account for the fact that OTPs are federally regulated programs where patients are already closely monitored in person — this is not a gap in oversight, it is an unintended conflict between state and federal frameworks.

What we are asking for

We support efforts to address the opioid epidemic and ensure safe prescribing. But this rule, as applied to OTPs, will harm the very patients it is meant to protect. We are calling on the Governor's office and the NJ Division of Consumer Affairs to:

• Issue an immediate OTP-specific waiver or clarifying guidance that recognizes the distinct clinical model of medication-assisted treatment  before the May 16 effective date.
• Convene an expedited meeting between DCA, the NJ Department of Health, DMHAS, and OTP stakeholders to develop a workable, patient-centered implementation approach.
• Delay enforcement for OTP MOUD prescribing until proper guidance is in place.

OTP patients have fought hard for their recovery. They should not have to fight bureaucratic barriers to keep it. Please sign and share this petition — and let New Jersey's leaders know that protecting access to medication-assisted treatment cannot wait.