PCSS-MOUD Clinical Roundtable: MOUD and the Role of Pharmacists in Treating and Engaging Patients-Slides

Slides

Pdf Summary

The American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists (AAPP) conducted a presentation on August 19, 2025, titled "MOUD and The Role of Pharmacists in Treating and Engaging Patients: Optimizing the Role and Relationships." This event, supported by the Providers Clinical Support System – Medications for Opioid Use Disorders (PCSS-MOUD) and funded by SAMHSA, aimed to increase healthcare professionals' knowledge and skills regarding evidence-based treatments for opioid use disorder (OUD) and substance use disorders (SUD).<br /><br />Psychiatric pharmacists, specialized in mental health and substance use disorders, play a critical role on interdisciplinary teams by managing medications, improving patient outcomes, and providing comprehensive care beyond dispensing medications. Despite their value, payment barriers exist due to inconsistent recognition and reimbursement policies, with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) limiting billing and consultation roles for clinical pharmacists.<br /><br />Case examples highlighted include San Francisco’s Department of Public Health integrating pharmacists into mental health and SUD services, including methadone dispensation under strict regulatory compliance, and the VA Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, where clinical pharmacist practitioners provide comprehensive medication management (CMM) for veterans with SUD, including prescribing buprenorphine and naltrexone under collaborative practice agreements. Outcomes demonstrate high retention rates in MOUD care models involving pharmacists.<br /><br />The presentation also emphasized diverse clinical models, including ambulatory care, urgent care for homeless patients, and community behavioral health pharmacies providing harm reduction services. Expansion of pharmacist roles is limited by state laws but is increasing, with 15 states permitting pharmacist DEA registration for MOUD prescribing.<br /><br />Additionally, substance-related disorder (SRD) pharmacists at institutions like UC Davis Health address treatment gaps by providing direct patient care, education, referrals, and optimizing electronic medical records to promote pharmacologic treatments for conditions like alcohol use disorder (AUD).<br /><br />Supporting resources such as the PCSS-MOUD mentoring program offer free education and consultation networks to enhance MOUD practice. The initiative is a collaborative effort involving multiple national organizations aimed at educating, training, and mentoring healthcare providers to improve care for individuals with substance use disorders.

Keywords

American Association of Psychiatric Pharmacists

MOUD

opioid use disorder

substance use disorders

psychiatric pharmacists

medication management

clinical pharmacist practitioners

collaborative practice agreements

harm reduction services

PCSS-MOUD mentoring program