BSAS Services 

We support clinicians and direct care staff to increase their capacity for, and comfort in, using best practices to manage the medications of individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders.

Technical Assistance, Pharmacovigilance,
& Drug Safety Consulting

Pharmacovigilance starts with education and training. We help organizations break down complex medication responsibilities into actionable tasks. Additionally, we help programs implement the right policies and procedures to minimize medication errors.

Our evidence-based and data-driven solutions will build your staff’s capacity to confidently monitor and manage medications. Data gathered from audits and other evaluation strategies is used to measure improvements in staff performance and medication safety.

  • We work directly with regional managers, licensors, and investigators to assist programs licensed by the Massachusetts Bureau of Substance Addiction Services (BSAS) to achieve clinical, operational, and safety excellence when it comes to prescription drugs.

    • Workflow management and process-mapping from the moment a medication enters the building to the time it is disposed of or returned to the patient

    • Preparing standard operating procedures (SOPs) and quality assurance processes

    • Developing standard forms and documentation practices

    • Assisting with internal reporting and external regulatory compliance

    • Designing medication rooms and storage areas

  • We partner with program directors, supervisors, and frontline staff to create medication room environments that prioritize both resident well-being and staff safety. By combining regulatory standards with practical, real-world solutions, we help programs build spaces that reduce risk, prevent errors, and foster trust.

    • Implementing secure storage solutions and controlled access systems to safeguard medications and prevent diversion

    • Establishing clear workflows that reduce crowding, interruptions, and stress during medication administration

    • Training staff to recognize and respond to safety risks, including emergency preparedness and de-escalation strategies

    • Creating documentation and accountability systems that protect both residents and staff from mistakes or misuse

    • Designing medication rooms that balance security with comfort, ensuring spaces support recovery while maintaining compliance

    Through these initiatives, we make the medication room not only a place of safety and structure but also one of support and reassurance, where residents feel cared for and staff feel confident in their ability to do their work effectively.

  • We work side by side with BSAS-licensed programs to ensure that every aspect of medication management supports the larger goal of long-term recovery. By aligning daily medication practices with treatment objectives, we help facilities create environments where residents can build stability, confidence, and readiness for life after discharge.

    • Integrating medication management into individualized treatment plans to reinforce recovery goals

    • Providing staff with training that emphasizes motivational support and resident empowerment during medication times

    • Establishing clear handoff and continuity of care procedures to link residents with community providers after graduation

    • Developing communication tools that encourage collaboration between residents, clinical staff, and prescribers

    • Tracking outcomes to demonstrate how safe, consistent medication practices contribute to successful treatment completion

    Through this work, EMO Health helps facilities transform the medication room into more than a place of compliance, it becomes a supportive touchpoint where residents experience encouragement, structure, and a sense of progress on their recovery journey.

Clinical Support and Medication Therapy Management

Our people-centered treatment and clinical support services are designed to meet the evolving needs of patients and coordinate medication access across the continuum of care. Some of our most successful medication solutions include:

  • Medication therapy management

  • Targeted medication adherence counseling

  • Medication support planning to build wellness capital and keep patients engaged in treatment

  • Controlled substance management to reduce misuse of medications

  • Addressing polypharmacy in behavioral health

  • EMO prescribing services prevent gaps in medication therapy that occur when individuals transition between facilities and care settings.

    Our Nurse Practitioner is available by telehealth appointments to assist individuals with do not have a current supply of medications and/or do not have a healthcare provider with medication evaluations and temporary/bridge supplies of psychiatric medications, Suboxone®/buprenorphine, naltrexone, and other maintenance medications.

  • Direct care workers face many challenges in addressing the complex medication needs of individuals with substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders. The medication helpline provides consultation to licensed and unlicensed direct care staff responsible for overseeing medications in patients with substance use disorders residing in Massachusetts community and congregate care settings. This service is designed to support approved programs and providers answer questions related to:

    • Medication errors and events

    • Safety concerns related to dosing and frequency, including missed doses, overuse, and underuse

    • Controlled substances and psychotropic medications to support responsible clinical decision-making

    For more information on how you can get access to the ECC,
    please email admin@emo.health

Continuing Education and Trainings

EMO’s continuing education and workforce development trainings are approved by national organizations and state licensing boards, including the United States Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE) and the National Association for Addiction Professionals (NAADAC).

  • Effective medication management is complex. Health and human services agencies and congregate care programs play an important role in monitoring medication usage and ensuring patient safety.

    Our team develops customized professional development and education programs to inform staff about medications relative to their areas of practice.

    • Medication observation, documentation, and operation-based training

    • Evidence-based clinical training to remain current with new and existing therapies, including Medication for Addiction Treatment (MAT) and medications to treat co-occurring disorders

    • Training and educational materials related to medication initiatives

  • Targeted training for programs with licensed and unlicensed staff in settings where medications are self-administered by patients and residents.

    Similar to the Massachusetts MAP program which trains staff to administer medications to individuals. MOP prepares direct care staff to monitor or assist in the self-administration of medicationsto individuals living in residences in the community, such as group homes.

  • Each year we offer 2,000 hours of advanced clinical training to university and college students enrolled in a Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) Program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE).

    This is an elective opportunity for students to obtain specialized knowledge and skills related to substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders in under-served patient populations with complex social needs. 

    Rotation hours may be used for the North American Pharmacist Licensure Exam (NAPLEX). 

    For more information about EMO Health’s APPE rotation, contact your college or university’s office of experimental education and/or email us directly at admin@emo.health.

  • Each year EMO Health provides hundreds of hours of practicum and applied practice opportunities for Master of Public Health (MPH) students from accredited schools of public health. Our rotations allow students to gain direct experience in community-based health systems, harm reduction, and medication safety across BSAS-licensed residential programs, shelters, and other care settings.

    This elective opportunity enables students to apply classroom knowledge to real-world challenges, focusing on areas such as substance use disorders, overdose prevention, mental health, and health equity in under-served populations. Students work alongside EMO staff on active projects, including program evaluation, policy development, training initiatives, and community engagement.

    Practicum hours may be used to fulfill field placement or applied practice requirements for MPH programs.

    For more information about EMO Health’s MPH practicum opportunities, contact your school’s practicum or field education office and/or email us directly at admin@emo.health.

  • Research on current and potential models of care and evaluation of new and existing programs is essential to improve access to medications.

    We work with government groups, public agencies, city health departments, universities, nonprofits, and key stakeholders to develop, support, and conduct research on a wide-variety of health-related topics.

    • Overdose Data to Action (OD2A)

      • In partnership with the CDC and Massachusetts Department of Public Health, OD2A supports jurisdictions across Massachusetts use high quality data on fatal and non-fatal overdoses to inform prevention and response efforts. EMO Health is participating in a multi-year grant to provide upstream prevention strategies, specifically linkages in care and leveraging pharmacists to ensure individuals with SUDs are connected to the care and medications they need. Evidence-based practices shows access to medication for addiction treatment reduces the risk of overdose by nearly 50%.

    • Pharmacists’ Initiative Survey and Research

      • In partnership with RIZE Massachusetts and Commonwealth Medicine, a division of the University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School, EMO Health is taking part in a $175,000 RIZE grant to improve the state’s addiction workforce ecosystem. EMO will assist RIZE to conduct research – including a representative survey of nearly 14,000 Massachusetts pharmacists on the knowledge, attitudes and practices of pharmacists regarding patients with SUD, their role in treating and preventing SUD, incorporating harm reduction into their professional practices and to assess how stigma may affect services.