Description: This presentation explores the urgent need for a targeted Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) program within North Carolina’s prison system, where individuals leaving incarceration are 50 times more likely to die of an overdose than the general population within the first two weeks post-release. Currently, only pregnant women are guaranteed access to these essential medications while incarcerated, highlighting a significant gap in care. In 2021, the Department of Adult Correction (DAC), the Mountain Area Health Education Center (MAHEC), and the Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) Program launched the MOUD Program to address this critical issue. Come learn more about the intensified risks associated with opioid use disorder in incarcerated individuals, success the MOUD Program has seen with its intervention, and the challenges that remain.
Trainer: Juan Tuset, MSW is a 2019 graduate of The School of Social Work’s Triangle Distance Education Program, with a concentration in Community Management & Policy Practice. He is a dedicated social worker and Program Coordinator for the Formerly Incarcerated Transition (FIT) Program. Influenced by thought-provoking works such as Michelle Alexander’s The New Jim Crow, Juan is driven by a profound desire to address systemic inequities within America’s legal system, particularly as it relates to reentry. As the FIT Program’s coordinator for the MOUD Program for Non-Pregnant Adults, also known as FIT Recovery, Juan works tirelessly to expand access to medications for opioid use disorder to all individuals in need while incarcerated, fostering a seamless transition from pre-release to post-release care. By ensuring continuity of care, Juan strives to provide a supportive and empowering environment that promotes successful reintegration and lasting recovery.
Learning Objectives:
At the end of the training participants will be able to:
- Explain two reasons why residents of NC’s prisons need a targeted MOUD program.
- Explain why incarceration intensifies the dangers associated with Opioid Use Disorder
- Describe the proven efficacy for three medications for opioid use disorder and one community treatment models for serving the formerly incarcerated population
- Articulate three challenges faced in the ongoing implementation of NC’s current MOUD Program and potential solutions for each.
References:
- Amura, C. R., Sorrell, T. R., Weber, M., Alvarez, A., Beste, N., Hollins, U., & Cook, P. F. (2022). Outcomes from the medication assisted treatment pilot program for adults with opioid use disorders in rural colorado. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy, 17(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13011-021-00424-4
- Chatterjee, A., Weitz, M., Savinkina, A., & others. (2023). Estimated costs and outcomes associated with use and nonuse of medications for opioid use disorder during incarceration and at release in Massachusetts. JAMA Network Open, 6(4), e237036. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.7036
- King, R. S., Peacock-Chambers, E., Wilson, D., Shimer, J., Foss, S., Visintainer, P., & Singh, R. (2021). Impact of maternal medication for opioid use disorder on neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants treated for neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome. Journal of Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine, https://doi.org/10.3233/NPM-200615
- Ranapurwala, S. I., Figgatt, M. C., Remch, M., & others. (2022). Opioid overdose deaths among formerly incarcerated persons and the general population: North Carolina, 2000–2018. American Journal of Public Health, 112(2), 300-303. https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2021.3066
- Rademeyer, K., Thompson, M. L., & Mullen, W. (2024). Examining current policies and barriers regarding medications for opioid use disorder within the criminal justice system. Corrections Today, 86(2), 24.
- Weiss, R. D., & Rao, V. (2017). The Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment Study: What have we learned. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 173(Suppl 1), S48-S54. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2016.12.001
UNC SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK MACRO LECTURE SERIES