"People who have been incarcerated are approximately 100 times more likely to die by overdose in the first two weeks after their release than the general public. Despite high rates of opioid use disorder among justice-involved individuals, evidence-based medications exist and can be successfully implemented within jails and prisons...To reduce risk of opioid overdose and recidivism and to better serve incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder, the National Council, in partnership with Vital Strategies and faculty from Johns Hopkins University, developed a new resource guide."
It seems that within prisons there is obvious space to intervene to support people who struggle with opioid use disorder. How can this guide/toolkit help move jails and prisons forward in implementing MAT and other interventions?
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It would be good to have a universal policy!
True.
It's also fascinating to see what will happen and how treatment and continuity of care will go as great numbers of inmates are being released from jails and prisons during this pandemic.