Response Regarding Opioids and People With Chronic Pain

The ADA National Network would like to respond to the many emails, calls, and tweets requesting support regarding access to treatment for people with chronic pain.

First, we want to explain who we are. The ADA National Network is a group of ten regional centers. Each center receives a grant from the national government to provide information, guidance and training on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).  Our grants do not allow us to provide legal assistance or advocate on behalf of individuals. In addition, we cannot take sides in the political process. Though our name and mission are dedicated to the ADA, we are not the ADA law itself, we do not enforce the ADA, and we are not an advocacy group.

Instead the ADA law is enforced by agencies like the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Many disability advocacy groups like the American Association of People with Disabilities or the National Organization on Disability advocate for implementation of the law.

Second, we want to explain what the ADA law is. The ADA is a civil rights law that prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including jobs, schools, transportation, and all public and private places that are open to the general public.

The ADA law does prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities who have chronic pain, as well as people in recovery from opioid and substance use disorders. People with disabilities who use medically prescribed opioids for pain cannot be discriminated against in access to employment and government programs, for example. However, the ADA law does not address the prescribing decisions of doctors.

The National Council on Independent Living (NCIL) Chronic Pain/ Opioids Task Force has written a letter about chronic pain to U.S. senators and representatives that has been signed by many organizations: https://www.ncil.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/6-25-19-Chronic-Pain-Sign-On-Letter.pdf]. In this letter, the organizations push back against one size fits all policy making approach to prescribing, unintended consequences that risk patient safety, and the need for comprehensive care. This letter does an excellent job describing the policy issues related to pain and opioid use and is recommended reading.

Sincerely,

ADA National Network