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Abstract: 

People leaving jails and prisons are up to 40 times more likely to die of an opioid overdose than the average American within the first few weeks following release. Yet, this doesn’t have to be the case: Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) such as buprenorphine and methadone are a highly effective, evidence-based treatment for opioid use disorder. The research is clear that these medications not only significantly decrease overdose mortality but reduce the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C. In fact, MOUD has been shown to decrease overdose deaths by 75 percent in the weeks following release from incarceration. This article provides an overview of the current state of MOUD policies in correctional facilities across the country, discusses the rapidly evolving public policy landscape in this area, and offers actionable recommendations for continued policy reform.

Keywords: Expanding Jail and Prison Access to Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

Affiliations:  1: Georgetown University Law Center on Addiction and Public Policy; 2: Center on Addiction and Public Policy; 3: Center on Addiction and Public Policy; 4: Center on Addiction and Public Policy; 5: Center on Addiction and Public Policy.