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Abstract: 

There is growing consensus in the medical community—including the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Commission on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC), as well as the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)—that MOUDs (methadone, naltrexone, and buprenorphine) are fundamental to the treatment of opioid addiction and should not be categorically denied in our jails and prisons. Historically, medical protocols in most jails did not include the use of MOUDs. Such medications were highly regulated by federal agencies, and many states promulgated their own additional legal restrictions. This article describers the important ways in which these restraints are being eased, and how correctional health professionals and administrators can consider and begin using MOUDs with their own addicted populations.

Keywords: Medications for Opioid Use Disorder; Methadone, Naltrexone, Buprenorphine

Affiliations:  1: Sweeney Corrections Consulting, LLC.