New federal guidance improves access to opioid treatment in county jails

By Brayden Cohen
NACo

Two new reports from the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) offer guidance on improving the provision of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorders (OUD) in correctional facilities as well as clarifies disability protections of people on MAT for OUD.

ONDCP released the first-ever federal guidance to help correctional facilities evaluate their medication-assisted treatment programs with the goal of expanding access across the country. Through a performance management framework, the report offers guidance for prisons and jails to assess their programs, to monitor individuals’ access to treatment once they are released and to evaluate whether their programs are effective in preventing overdose deaths.

Additionally, new guidance from DOJ clarifies that people on MAT for opioid use disorder are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Read more.