Medications for Opioid Use Disorder: An Effective Treatment for Justice-Involved Persons Reentering the Community Brief Reference Document

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over 110,000 individuals died of a drug overdose in 2022, largely driven by synthetic opioids such as fentanyl.1 Notably, drug overdose is one of the leading causes of death for people returning to the community after incarceration, with risks estimated to be almost 13 times higher within the first two weeks Substance Abuse and Mental Health after release. Much of this risk is associated with the high percentage of individuals in jails and prisons that have an untreated opioid use disorder (OUD) when released.2,3,4 Few jails and prisons continue to provide access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) for individuals who were receiving these medications prior to their incarceration, and few initiate MOUD for people who did not receive them prior to incarceration but would benefit from them. Lastly, few correctional facilities offer MOUD and transition planning prior to release into the community.

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