As criminal justice agencies grapple with the impacts of the opioid epidemic, an increasing number of correctional facilities are using medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in order to initiate or maintain treatment among individuals experiencing opioid use disorders. Despite the potential for MAT to reduce recidivism and overdose fatalities, many jails and prisons are reluctant to allow individuals to be on MAT medications due to diversion concerns. In this webinar, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Gather, Assess, Integrate, Network, and Stimulate (GAINS) Center for Behavioral Health and Justice Transformation will present a recently released publication Medication-Assisted Treatment Inside Correctional Facilities: Addressing Medication Diversion. In addition, two national experts will participate in a facilitated question-and-answer session about approaches and strategies to reducing medication diversion in correctional settings.
Presenters
- Melissa Neal Stein, DrPH, Senior Research Associate, SAMHSA’s GAINS Center;
- Jennifer Clarke, MD, MPH, FACP, Medical Program Director, Rhode Island Department of Corrections; and
- Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Sheriff’s Office.