This publication by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) presents case studies to illustrate how courts and jails collaborate to support medication-assisted treatment (MAT).
This report by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and Substance Abuse Program (COSSAP) features case studies on partnerships between jails and courts that have increased access and connection to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for individuals who have been arrested or incarcerated. These case studies illustrate the power of collaboration in helping to address opioid use disorder (OUD). Each case study shares the perspective of a different participant in a successful MAT partnership and the factors that make their program successful, along with strategies for launching programs. While traditional drug courts have proven effective with general substance use disorder (SUD), often these programs do not cater to the unique characteristics of OUD, such as the urgent need to intervene in the critical early days after arrest, the importance of MAT for successful outcomes, and the value of involving all stakeholders in the solution. As a result, municipalities are developing new strategies to specifically address OUD among their criminal justice populations. Experience has shown that true success is not possible without partnership across the justice system, including jails, courts, parole/probation, and other stakeholders, such as police, drug treatment providers, and the individuals with OUD themselves. MAT is one of the most effective treatments for OUD. It involves the use of U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medications in combination with behavioral therapies to treat and maintain recovery from addiction. With a disproportionate number of individuals with OUD in jails, it is imperative for corrections agencies to establish community partnerships to build and sustain MAT programs to help people who have been arrested or incarcerated initiate and maintain their recovery, return to their communities, stay out of jail, and stay alive.