CSAT Makes a Major Reversal

As you know, COMPA has been fighting against the CSAT “Dear Colleague” letter issued by Dr. H. Westley Clark on January 24, 2008. (Read the news item “COMPA Challenges CSAT “Dear Colleague” Letter” posted on this website on July 22, 2009.)

After much discussion and struggle the 1/24/08 letter, which COMPA opposed, has been rescinded. (Click here to see the 10/21/09 letter from Dr. Clark, rescinding the 1/24/08 letter.) This is a rare example of the provider community successfully rolling back an unfunded federal mandate. COMPA wishes to thank our friends and colleagues at AATOD and at the Legal Action Center for their work and support on this issue. Special thanks need to go to OASAS Commissioner Karen Carpenter-Palumbo and her staff for their support on this issue.

Lastly COMPA is not complacent about patient safety. For more than forty years, the New York State providers of Medication Assisted Treatment have had an excellent record of patient safety regarding Sunday and holiday take-home medication. Despite this, we understand and support the need for continuous improvement in our clinical practice and constant vigilance on the issue of patient safety. In that regard COMPA, with the help of a team of four expert physicians, is developing some suggested guidelines regarding patient safety related to Sunday and holiday take-home medication. Check this website for details in the weeks to come.


	COMPA The Committee of Methadone Program Administrators of New York State, Inc.

	CSAT Makes A Major Reversal As you know, COMPA has been fighting against the CSAT “Dear Colleague” letter issued by Dr. H. Westley Clark on January 24, 2008. (Read the news item “COMPA Challenges CSAT “Dear Colleague” Letter” posted on this website on July 22, 2009.) After much discussion and struggle the 1/24/08 letter, which COMPA opposed, has been rescinded. (Click here to see the 10/21/09 letter from Dr. Clark, rescinding the 1/24/08 letter.) This is a rare example of the provider community successfully rolling back an unfunded federal mandate. COMPA wishes to thank our friends and colleagues at AATOD and at the Legal Action Center for their work and support on this issue. Special thanks need to go to OASAS Commissioner Karen Carpenter-Palumbo and her staff for their support on this issue. Lastly COMPA is not complacent about patient safety. For more than forty years, the New York State providers of Medication Assisted Treatment have had an excellent record of patient safety regarding Sunday and holiday take-home medication. Despite this, we understand and support the need for continuous improvement in our clinical practice and constant vigilance on the issue of patient safety. In that regard COMPA, with the help of a team of four expert physicians, is developing some suggested guidelines regarding patient safety related to Sunday and holiday take-home medication. Check this website for details in the weeks to come.