Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-05-42-.04 - DESIGNATION OF STATE OPIOID TREATMENT AUTHORITY (SOTA) AND POWERS AND DUTIES OF SOTA

(1) The commissioner shall designate an individual within the department to serve as the SOTA to facilitate oversight and technical assistance to opioid treatment programs. The individual designated shall have demonstrated education and background evidencing comprehensive knowledge of opioid drugs and their effects.

(2) The powers and duties of the SOTA include, but are not limited to, the following:

(a) Facilitating the development and implementation of rules, regulations, standards and best practice guidelines to assure the quality of services delivered by opioid treatment programs;

(b) Acting as a liaison between relevant State and federal agencies;

(c) Reviewing opioid treatment guidelines and regulations developed by the federal government;

(d) Assuring delivery of technical assistance and informational materials to opioid treatment programs as needed;

(e) Performing both the scheduled and unscheduled site visits to opioid treatment programs in cooperation with department licensure office or other governmental oversight agencies, or as designated by the SOTA, when necessary and appropriate, and preparing reports as appropriate to assist the department's licensure office or other governmental oversight agencies;

(f) Consulting with the federal government regarding approval or disapproval of requests for exceptions to federal regulations, where appropriate;

(g) Reviewing and approving exceptions to federal and state dosage policies and procedures;

(h) Receiving and addressing service recipient appeals and grievances;

(i) Monitoring of performance outcomes. The following performance indicators may be used to evaluate the impact of the program on service recipients and the community:

1. Service recipient satisfaction.

2. Service recipient employment status.

3. Improvement in medical conditions.

4. Drop-out rate.

5. Recidivism rates.

6. Alcohol use.

7. Criminal arrests.

8. Illicit drug use, as indicated by drug screens.

9. Improvement in social and living standards; and

(j) Working cooperatively with other relevant state agencies to determine the service need in the location of a proposed program.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0940-05-42-.04

Original rule filed June 8, 1999; effective August 22, 1999. Amendment filed February 18, 2003; effective May 4, 2003. Amendment filed April 30, 2003; effective July 14, 2003. Amendment filed April 20, 2006; effective July 4, 2006. Amendment filed July 18, 2007; effective October 1, 2007. Per Executive Order 44 (February 23, 2007), rule was transferred from 1200-8-21 on May 15, 2008. Repeal and new rule filed September 20, 2012; effective December 19, 2012.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-3-1601, 4-4-103, 33-1-302, 33-1-305, 33-1-309, 33-2-301, 33-2-302, and 33-2-404.