Baltimore, MD (June 27, 2018)—The Maryland Department of Health’s Controlled Dangerous Substance (CDS) Registration Online Renewal System was honored with a 2018 Award of Distinction in the Government Website Category from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts. With entries received from across the U.S. and around the world, the Communicator Awards is the largest and most competitive awards program honoring creative excellence.

The CDS Registration Online Renewal System (System) includes functionality designed to create an efficient and user-friendly experience for applicants while maintaining the strict licensing regulations of the state. More than 43,000 registrants in 35 classifications are required to renew CDS registrations on a three-year cycle. 

The System helps support Maryland’s fight against the opioid epidemic by electronically linking to the Maryland Prescription Drug Monitoring Program (PDMP) to ensure applicants who prescribe CDS have registered with PDMP, prior to obtaining the CDS renewal. The System also offers real-time digital connection to four main licensing boards (Physicians, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Dentistry), representing 95 percent of the CDS renewal population, to verify applicants have an active professional license with no disciplinary actions/orders. 

“The Controlled Dangerous Substance Registration Online Renewal System is a great example of our commitment to providing excellent customer service while continuing to protect the public,” said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary of Public Health Services, Dr. Howard Haft. “I’m extremely proud of the team who worked to develop the System and this Award of Distinction is a nice added recognition of their hard work.” 

The award is a testament to the Department’s commitment to keeping pace with current trends and healthcare provider preferences through modernization efforts. “We are extremely proud to offer an innovative solution to support practitioners, researchers, and establishments with an effective and efficient method to renew CDS registrations on behalf of patients who are recipients of controlled dangerous substances for legitimate medical purposes,” stated Maryland Department of Health Office of Controlled Substances Administration Director, Audrey Clark.

This service was developed by the vendor, NIC Maryland, along with the Office of Controlled Substances Administration’s oversight and specifications, and is maintained and supported at no cost to the Maryland Department of Health through a statewide self-funded digital eGovernment master services contract with the Department of Information Technology (DoIT). NIC Maryland is a collaborative public/private partnership managed by DoIT and maintains and markets the official website of the State of Maryland and its digital government services. It operates without tax funds.

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Marylanders who need help finding substance-use-disorder treatment resources should visit http://goo.gl/nIfGm0 or call the Maryland Crisis Hotline, which provides 24/7 support, at 211, press 1. For information on many of the policies currently implemented to fight addiction and overdose in Maryland, see http://goo.gl/nIfGm0. If you know of someone in need of treatment for a substance use disorder, treatment facilities can be located by location and program characteristics on our page at http://goo.gl/rbGF6S. 

The Maryland Department of Health is the State agency that protects Maryland’s public health. We work together to promote and improve the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management, and community engagement. Stay connected: www.twitter.com/MarylandDHMH and www.facebook.com/MarylandDHMH. ​​​