The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is providing this guidance to ensure that substance use disorder treatment services are uninterrupted during this public health emergency. In response to and in accordance with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines on social distancing, as well as state or local government-issued bans or guidelines on gatherings of multiple people, many substance use disorder treatment provider offices are closed, or patients are not able to present for treatment services in person. Therefore, there has been an increased need for telehealth (videoconferencing) services, and in some areas without adequate telehealth technology, providers are offering telephonic consultations to patients. In such instances, providers may not be able to obtain written patient consent for disclosure of substance use disorder records..
