Ferguson, W. J., Johnston, J., Clarke, J. G., Koutoujian, P. J., Maurer, K., Gallagher, C., White, J., Nickl, D., & Taxman, F. S. (2019). Advancing the implementation and sustainment of medication assisted treatment for opioid use disorders in prisons and jails. Health & justice, 7(1), 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40352-019-0100-2 

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31832801/ 

This article describes the process of implementing a medication assisted therapy (MAT) program in jails and prisons. This study highlights some of the success and limitations of implementing MAT programs in four different sites. The researchers identified government leadership, dedicated funding and collaboration with community treatment providers as essential to adoption of MAT during implementation phases. Adoption of the intervention varied by site, and only one site had reached sustainable adoption of MAT. Facilitators for MAT included increases in staffing and staff training; group education on medication assisted therapies; use of data to drive change processes; coordination with other elements of the criminal justice system to expand care; and ongoing contact with individuals post release to encourage continued treatment. Barriers included lack of funding and space and institutional design; challenges in changing the cultural perception of all approved treatments; excluding or discontinuing treatment based on patient factors, movement or transfer of individuals; and inability to sustain care coordination at the time of release. This is a useful resource for anyone interested in exploring best practices for implementing MOUD treatment programs in correctional facilities. 

Bottom Line: MOUD programs from 4 different jail and prison systems were looked at to gain insight into the barriers and facilitators of having an MOUD program in correctional facilities and one system was successful in increasing the number of individuals who had access to MOUD.