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Medical treatment for opioid use disorder in prisons: committee hears benefits, logistical and budget concerns on H.32 (MOUD)
Summary
Medical director Frederick Lord told the House Corrections Committee that Vermont’s MOUD/MAT treatment in corrections has improved continuity of care and likely reduces recidivism; the panel discussed detainees with unpredictable releases, injectable medications’ costs, and continuity-of-care steps the DOC could take.
The House Corrections & Institutions Committee on April 16 heard testimony and questions on H.32, a bill addressing medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in correctional settings. Dr. Frederick Lord, medical director at Connecticut Valley Addiction Recovery and assistant clinical professor of psychiatry at Dartmouth, described how MOUD works in Vermont’s hub-and-spoke treatment system and recommended operational steps to reduce gaps in care for people released unexpectedly from court.
Dr. Lord praised Vermont’s Department of Corrections implementation and described better coordination than he has seen in some other states: “Vermont DOC has really done a very good job,” he told the committee. He said the system is far more consistent now than past practices in which people were released without medication or follow-up.
Why it matters: MOUD in corrections affects overdose risk, continuity of care and recidivism. Committee members…
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