The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has awarded $1.5 million to the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) to train doctors and other health professionals on how to use methadone to treat pain and prevent overdoses.

The three-year cooperative agreement will establish a nationwide mentoring network to help medical professionals use methadone appropriately for treatment of opiate addiction or pain.

Thousands of methadone overdose deaths are reported annually, in part because the drug stays in the system longer than many patients and physicians realize.