The US Department of Justice has found that the Indiana State Board of Nursing violates the Americans with Disabilities Act by prohibiting nurses who are prescribed medication for opioid use disorder from participating in their Nursing Assistance Program. The rehabilitation and monitoring program is often required for nurses with substance use disorders if they wish to maintain or reinstate their license. The Justice Department ruled that "recovery and monitoring programs must allow individuals to use proven medications that support their recovery, including prescribed medications that treat opioid use disorder." The Nursing Board has been directed to eliminate the ban on program participants using medication to treat OUD and to train all staff and vendors about OUD and the nondiscrimination requirements of the ADA.
March 30, 2022
