"The Drug Enforcement Administration announced Monday a policy change aimed at expanding access to treatment for substance abuse disorders. Under the new rule, the nation’s more than 1,700 DEA-registered methadone service providers are no longer required to obtain a separate registration for mobile services from the DEA. Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for the Department of Health and Human Services, says the change is “extremely critical.”

Demand has grown in recent years for substance use disorder treatments like methadone, which is one of three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder. There are currently more than 1,900 narcotic treatment program locations nationwide that use methadone, according to the DEA. However, lack of access to transportation and distance to nearby brick-and-mortar narcotic treatment programs can pose accessibility problems for rural and underserved communities.

Officials say the new rule, which goes into effect July 28, will save the agency money by bringing down costs linked to startup, labor and operations for the mobile units. They also expect costs related to health care, criminal justice and lost productivity to decline as access to treatment expands."

https://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2021/jun/28/biden-dea-rule-change-aims-add-mobile-methadone-va/