Behavioral Health News & Events
Volume 2, Issue 1 | January 2014
their charge to create prescribing guidelines of certain controlled
substance. Please visit the link: Clinical Practice Guidelines for
Management of Chronic Pain.
In 2011 Tennessee had the second highest per capita prescription rate
for opioids in the United States. The same year more than 1,000
Tennesseans died of a prescription related overdose. These guidelines
were written to define appropriate treatment of chronic pain and to
support clinicians in their treatment of chronic pain while, hopefully
avoiding addiction and adverse outcomes.
The guidelines were formulated after months of input ranging from the
public at large to nationally recognized pain experts and healthcare
providers. The Department is still receiving input from stakeholders
and I encourage you to review and submit comments by January 31,
2014 to Dr. Mitchell Mutter at [email protected]. The guidel