New Jersey Updates Opioid Treatment Program Rules To Align With Federal Regulations

On February 18, 2025, the New Jersey Department of Health (DOH) issued a waiver to align state rules for opioid treatment programs (OTPs) with recently established federal regulations for OTPs and methadone clinics. The goal is to reduce duplicate requirements for behavioral health programs and facilitate access to addiction treatment and medications for individuals with opioid use disorder (OUD). The state is working with statewide OTPs during the transition to the new standards.

The key changes affect the following aspects of treatment:

Counseling and treatment phases: The waiver removes phase-based counseling and staff-to-consumer ratios, which is anticipated . . .