Headline
This report offers recommendations for providing medications for opioid use disorder in prisons and jails and offers correctional-based case examples from across the country.
Context
More than half of people incarcerated in state prisons have a diagnosed substance use disorder (SUD), with drug overdose being a major health risk in the weeks post-incarceration. Yet, most prisons do not offer medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), which have been proven to reduce drug overdose risk and save lives. This report highlights several MOUD programs and policies that reduce overdose mortality rates among people exiting jails and prisons. It shares a summary of research related to outcomes for people reentering communities after MOUD treatment in jails/prisons, as well as four cases studies on correctional facilities that have successfully implemented MOUD programs.
Findings
The report contains recommendation around the implementation of corrections-based SUD screening, MOUD treatment in jails/prisons, referrals to community-based MOUD care upon release, and post release data-tracking to understand outcomes. The authors also summarize research showing that offering MOUD with counseling prior to release from prisons and jails can: (1) lower overdose deaths post-release; (2) reduce illicit opioid use post-release; (3) increase the likelihood of treatment engagement post-release; and (4) improve short-term criminal justice outcomes.
In addition, the report details case studies of corrections-based MOUD programs across the country, featuring programs’ background, pilot description, evaluation results, challenges, and plans for next steps.
Takeaways
This report offers valuable insights for policymakers seeking to better manage care for people with opioid use disorder in jails and prisons.