Section 5119.391 | License to employ methadone treatment.
(A) No community addiction services provider shall employ methadone treatment or prescribe, dispense, or administer methadone unless the program is licensed under this section. No community addiction services provider licensed under this section shall maintain methadone treatment in a manner inconsistent with this section and the rules adopted under it.
(B) A community addiction services provider may apply to the department of mental health and addiction services for a license to maintain methadone treatment. The department shall review all applications received.
(C) The department may issue a license to maintain methadone treatment to a community addiction services provider only if all of the following apply:
(1) The provider is operated by a private, nonprofit organization or by a government entity;
(2) For at least two years immediately preceding the date of application, the provider has been fully certified under section 5119.36 of the Revised Code;
(3) The provider has not been denied a license to maintain methadone treatment or had its license withdrawn or revoked within the five-year period immediately preceding the date of application;
(4) It affirmatively appears to the department that the provider is adequately staffed and equipped to maintain methadone treatment;
(5) It affirmatively appears to the department that the provider will maintain methadone treatment in strict compliance with section 3719.61 of the Revised Code, all other laws relating to drug abuse, and the rules adopted by the department;
(6) Except as provided in division (D) of this section and section 5119.392 of the Revised Code, there is no public or private school, licensed child day-care center, or other child-serving agency within a radius of five hundred linear feet of the location where the program is to maintain methadone treatment.
(D) The department may waive the requirement of division (C)(6) of this section if it receives, from each public or private school, licensed child day-care center, or other child-serving agency that is within the five hundred linear feet radius of the location where the program is to maintain methadone treatment, a letter of support for the location. The department shall determine whether a letter of support is satisfactory for purposes of waiving the requirement.
(E) A license to maintain methadone treatment shall expire one year from the date of issuance. Licenses may be renewed.
(F) The department shall establish procedures and adopt rules for licensing, inspection, and supervision of community addiction services providers that maintain methadone treatment. The rules shall establish standards for the control, storage, furnishing, use, and dispensing of methadone; prescribe minimum standards for the operation of the methadone treatment component of the provider's operations; and comply with federal laws and regulations.
All rules adopted under this division shall be adopted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code. All actions taken by the department regarding the licensing of providers to maintain methadone treatment shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, except as provided in division (L) of this section.
(G) The department of mental health and addiction services shall inspect all community addiction services providers licensed to maintain methadone treatment. Inspections shall be conducted at least annually and may be conducted more frequently. No person or government entity shall interfere with a state or local government official acting on behalf of the department while conducting an inspection.
(H) A community addiction services provider shall not administer or dispense methadone in a tablet, powder, or intravenous form. Methadone shall be administered or dispensed only in a liquid form intended for ingestion. A services provider shall not administer or dispense methadone to an individual for pain or other medical reasons.
(I) As used in this division, "program sponsor" means a person who assumes responsibility for the operation and employees of the methadone treatment component of a community addiction services provider.
A community addiction services provider shall not employ an individual who receives methadone treatment from that services provider. A program shall not permit an individual to act as a provider sponsor, medical director, or director of the provider if the individual is receiving methadone treatment from any community addiction services provider.
(J) The department may issue orders to assure compliance with section 3719.61 of the Revised Code, all other laws relating to drug abuse, and the rules adopted under this section. Subject to section 5119.27 of the Revised Code, the department may hold hearings, require the production of relevant matter, compel testimony, issue subpoenas, and make adjudications. Upon failure of a person without lawful excuse to obey a subpoena or to produce relevant matter, the department may apply to a court of common pleas for an order compelling compliance.
(K) The department may refuse to issue, or may withdraw or revoke, a license to maintain methadone treatment. A license may be refused if a community addiction services provider does not meet the requirements of division (C) of this section. A license may be withdrawn at any time the department determines that the program no longer meets the requirements for receiving the license. A license may be revoked in accordance with division (L) of this section.
Once a license is issued under this section, the department shall not consider the requirement of division (C)(6) of this section in determining whether to renew, withdraw, or revoke the license or whether to reissue the license as a result of a change in ownership.
(L) If the department of mental health and addiction services finds reasonable cause to believe that a community addiction services provider licensed under this section is in violation of any provision of section 3719.61 of the Revised Code, or of any other state or federal law or rule relating to drug abuse, the department may issue an order immediately revoking the license, subject to division (M) of this section. The department shall set a date not more than fifteen days later than the date of the order of revocation for a hearing on the continuation or cancellation of the revocation. For good cause, the department may continue the hearing on application of any interested party. In conducting hearings, the department has all the authority and power set forth in division (J) of this section. Following the hearing, the department shall either confirm or cancel the revocation. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with Chapter 119. of the Revised Code, except that the provider shall not be permitted to maintain methadone treatment pending the hearing or pending any appeal from an adjudication made as a result of the hearing. Notwithstanding any provision of Chapter 119. of the Revised Code to the contrary, a court shall not stay or suspend any order of revocation issued by the director under this division pending judicial appeal.
(M) The department shall not revoke a license to maintain methadone treatment unless all services recipients receiving methadone treatment from the community addiction services provider are provided adequate substitute treatment. For purposes of this division, the department may transfer the services recipients to other programs licensed to maintain methadone treatment or replace any or all of the administrators and staff of the provider with representatives of the department who shall continue on a provisional basis the methadone treatment component of the program.
(N) Each time the department receives an application from a community addiction services provider for a license to maintain methadone treatment, issues or refuses to issue a license, or withdraws or revokes a license, the department shall notify the board of alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health services of each alcohol, drug addiction, and mental health service district in which the provider operates.
(O) Whenever it appears to the department from files, upon complaint, or otherwise, that a community addiction services provider has engaged in any practice declared to be illegal or prohibited by section 3719.61 of the Revised Code, or any other state or federal laws or regulations relating to drug abuse, or when the department believes it to be in the best interest of the public and necessary for the protection of the citizens of the state, the department may request criminal proceedings by laying before the prosecuting attorney of the proper county any evidence of criminality which may come to its knowledge.
(P) The department shall maintain a current list of community addiction services providers licensed by the department under this section and shall provide a copy of the current list to a judge of a court of common pleas who requests a copy for the use of the judge under division (H) of section 2925.03 of the Revised Code. The list of licensed community addiction services providers shall identify each licensed provider by its name, its address, and the county in which it is located.
Last updated October 4, 2023 at 2:43 PM
Available Versions of this Section
- September 17, 2014 – House Bill 314 - 130th General Assembly [ View September 17, 2014 Version ]
- June 1, 2017 – Senate Bill 319 - 131st General Assembly [ View June 1, 2017 Version ]
- September 28, 2018 – Amended by House Bill 111 - 132nd General Assembly [ View September 28, 2018 Version ]
- October 3, 2023 – Enacted by House Bill 33 - 135th General Assembly [ View October 3, 2023 Version ]