ANCC Continuing Education on Opioids and Substance Use Disorder

Substance use disorder (SUD) and opioid-related harms remain among the most significant health challenges in the United States, affecting over 48 million people and impacting families, workplaces, and communities nationwide. Clinical teams across all settings are increasingly encountering patients with complex needs related to pain management, substance use, and overdose risk.

Overdose Lifeline provides ANCC-approved continuing education that fulfills the DEA MATE Act 8-hour training requirement and gives nurses insight and practical tools they can use immediately in their clinical work to reduce stigma and improve outcomes.

Whether you’re maintaining licensure, meeting DEA MATE Act compliance, or expanding your skills, our courses are flexible, affordable, and designed for your schedule.

ANCC Nursing Accreditation Statement

The Overdose Lifeline online courses provide American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC) CE credits through Purdue University Continuing Nursing Education.

Purdue University Continuing Nursing Education is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

The mission of the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association, is to promote excellence in nursing and healthcare globally through credentialing programs..

Why Healthcare Professionals Choose Overdose Lifeline Education

35,000+ Clinicians / Professionals Served

Enhance Professional Knowledge and Effectiveness

92% of people strongly agree/agree...
"The course information has enhanced my professional knowledge and effectiveness in my interaction with individuals affected."

Trusted Opioid and SUD Education

Overdose Lifeline Education is trusted by clinicians, professionals, and partners in all 50 U.S. states, the Federal Bureau of Prisons, U.S. Navy, NIH National Institute of Drug Abuse, Healthcare Systems, Health Departments, Schools, Colleges and Universities, and more.

Research-Informed Instructional Design

Grounded in cognitive psychology and adult-learning theory. Content is structured using Bloom’s Taxonomy to support knowledge acquisition, comprehension, application, and skill development—promoting meaningful learning and real-world transfer.

Video-Based On-Demand Courses

ANCC-accredited video-based on-demand courses. Take online courses from anywhere, completing when it is convenient for you.

CE Credit and Certificate

Obtain the CE hours required for licensed professionals and the DEA MATE Act 8-hour training requirement. Certificates and CE credit available upon successful course completion.

Highly Recommended

87% of people strongly agree/agree... "Would recommend this course to a friend or colleague."

What people are saying

I feel that anyone in my profession should understand that addiction is just as much as problem as heart disease, diabetes, and HIV. I think it is important to understand that even though this was not taught anywhere in nursing school that this major problem does exist and is affecting many.

Registered Nurse (RN)

In the past when I thought about stigma and addiction, I typically thought about how another person (family member, neighbor) stigmatize someone with this disease. I now have a better understanding of how stigma from other areas of one's life (medical communities, law enforcement, etc.) affects someone with this disease and creates a barrier for recovery.

Nurse Practitioner

I think anyone in my profession should understand not only the shame and stigma around substance use disorders, but also how important understanding the disease of addiction is. I think this is important because as healthcare providers, we can help implement harm reduction strategies in our field, help prevent accidental overdose, and allow more people to get the help that they need and deserve.

20-Credit Certificate Student - Nurse

This was a very eye opening course as to how childhood trauma not only affects our behavior but our health outcomes and chronic conditions directly. This is a true public health threat that needs to be addressed with education and concern placed on early intervention.

20-Credit Certificate Student - Healthcare Professional

Prior to starting this course, I had several of those myths in my mind as a reason to be against medication. However, after taking this course, I realize the flaw in my thinking and look forward to learning more about effective medication for opioid use disorder programs and how to best integrate it into my patients care.

Healthcare Professional

Flexible Continuing Education Options

Science-based and research-informed courses, grounded in peer-reviewed neuroscience, addiction-medicine frameworks, and nationally recognized clinical standards.

Individual CE Courses

  • ANCC-accredited, self-paced modules providing 1.5-3 CE credits

  • Choose from topics including neurobiology of SUD, stigma, harm reduction, adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and trauma, MAT/MOUD, SUD treatment and recovery, and naloxone and overdose prevention

  • Flexible, affordable options for earning CE at your own pace

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20-Credit Advanced Certificate Program

  • Includes 8 ANCC-accredited courses + a practicum assignment

  • Earn a 20-Credit Advanced Certificate in SUD and Opioids

  • Designed to build broad, science-based and research-informed competency across prevention, treatment, recovery, stigma reduction, and opioid overdose prevention

Learn More

DEA MATE Act Bundle – 8 CE Credits

  • Three essential ANCC-accredited courses packaged together

  • Meets the full DEA MATE Act 8-hour training requirement

  • Core SUD Education: Includes the brain science of addiction, medication for opioid use disorder MOUD, and strategies to reduce shame and bias in support of patient recovery

View Bundle

Looking for Group Enrollment?

We Simplify Group Administration

Group Enrollment Info

Frequently Asked Questions

You have six months from the date of enrollment to complete the course.

Most courses range from 1–3 hours (approximately 1 hour for each CE credit)

Yes. Your progress is saved automatically across any device.

Yes. All courses are fully responsive and work on any device—mobile, tablet, laptop, or desktop.

You can access the course on a computer, tablet, or mobile device with an internet connection. Audio-enabled devices are recommended.

Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge; iOS Safari v11+, Chrome, Samsung Internet. Internet Explorer is not supported.

Yes. Accredited by national CE bodies including ANCC, ACPE, ACCME and AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™ (ACCME) which is accepted for many clinical continuing education requirements and many societies and credentialing bodies as an equivalent as long as the topic is relevant to the applicant’s field or discipline.

Yes, this six of the ANCC CE courses meet the DEA MATE Act 8-hour training requirement. If you’re looking for 8-hours, our MATE Act course bundle fulfills the 8-hour requirement for DEA-registered clinicians.

Complete 100% of the course, pass the final exam (80%), and complete the survey.

Yes. Exam retakes are allowed.

Yes. Certificates are available for immediate download after completing all requirements.

Yes. Group and enterprise options include 6+ enrollment discounting , customized learning track, centralized billing, staff enrollment support, and progress reporting. Learn More

While course access typically expired 6-months after purchase. We understand that extra time may be required. Contact [email protected].

Yes. Reach out to us at [email protected] to enroll in the 20-credit advanced certificate program -- we'll make sure your prior payment is accounted for.

Email [email protected]

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