Opioid Epidemic Updates from Community Oriented Correctional Health Services
May 2025Opioid Epidemic
New York Times: Trump budget draft ends Narcan program and other addiction measures.
The opioid overdose reversal medications, Narcan, saves hundreds of thousands of lives a year and is routinely praised by public health experts for contributing to the continuing drop in opioid-related deaths. But the Trump administration plans to terminate a $56 million annual grant program that distributes doses and trains emergency responders in communities to administer them, according to a draft budget proposal. The grant is among many addiction prevention and treatment programs to be zeroed out.
Washington Post: DOJ cancels grants for gun-violence and addiction prevention, victim advocacy
The Justice Department has abruptly canceled hundreds of grants to community organizations and local governments, including funding for gun-violence prevention programs and crime-victim advocacy -- cuts Attorney General Pam Bondi defended Wednesday as the elimination of millions of dollars in "wasteful" spending. The canceled awards were identified through a review process that determined they did not align with the Trump administration's priorities.
OPB: Critics say GOP Medicaid cuts could slash fentanyl addiction treatment
As Republicans pursue spending cuts, critics warn Medicaid funding for opioid addiction treatment is at risk. A Democratic report notes care for over a million Americans could be affected. Medicaid, expanded under the ACA, has become the main source for addiction treatment, credited with helping reduce overdose deaths by 26.6% between June 2023 and October 2024, according to CDC data.
BMC: Patient perspectives of jail based MOUD treatment: views of individuals who have returned to the community following incarceration
Massachusetts passed legislation in 2018 to mandate provision of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in select jails to address the high risk of opioid overdose after release. This report is a Type-1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study of the program. Participants perceived that MOUD helped to prevent relapse. Prompt and consistent access to medication, and respectful treatment by healthcare and carceral staff were highlighted as facilitators. In contrast, some participants perceived that policy-centered rather than patient-centered treatment drove timing of medication initiation or response to medication changes.
Range: Want out of prison early? Navigate the drug treatment labyrinth.
Amid a national overdose crisis that kills nearly 110,000 people annually, Washington prisons now require all applicants for early release through the Graduated Reentry (GRE) program to undergo substance use evaluations and complete any mandated treatment--even if they have no history of drug use. In 2023, the legislature passed SB 5502, responding to the opioid epidemic by imposing universal screening. The mandate applies even to those who have never used drugs. American Behavioral Health Services (ABHS), a private contractor, handles the assessments. One woman, with no history of addiction, reported having to fabricate stories of drug use to move through the program.
Addiction Policy Forum: AI Screening Tool Effective in Identifying Opioid Use Disorder and Referring Patients to Treatment
A recent study published in Nature Medicine demonstrated that an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven screening tool was just as effective as a healthcare provider-only approach in identifying hospitalized adults at risk for opioid use disorder (OUD). The research found that the AI screening significantly reduced hospital readmissions and assisted in the referral of patients to inpatient addiction specialists. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study found that patients screened using the AI tool had 47% lower odds of being readmitted within 30 days compared to those who received traditional provider-initiated consultations.
FORE: Webinar: Medicaid's Ongoing Critical Role in the U.S. Response to the Opioid and Overdose Crisis
In March, FORE held a national webinar focused on Medicaid's Ongoing Critical Role in the U.S. Response to the Opioid and Overdose Crisis. A recording of the webinar is available on FORE's website.Insert your text here
New York Times: Trump budget draft ends Narcan program and other addiction measures.
The opioid overdose reversal medications, Narcan, saves hundreds of thousands of lives a year and is routinely praised by public health experts for contributing to the continuing drop in opioid-related deaths. But the Trump administration plans to terminate a $56 million annual grant program that distributes doses and trains emergency responders in communities to administer them, according to a draft budget proposal. The grant is among many addiction prevention and treatment programs to be zeroed out.
Washington Post: DOJ cancels grants for gun-violence and addiction prevention, victim advocacy
The Justice Department has abruptly canceled hundreds of grants to community organizations and local governments, including funding for gun-violence prevention programs and crime-victim advocacy -- cuts Attorney General Pam Bondi defended Wednesday as the elimination of millions of dollars in "wasteful" spending. The canceled awards were identified through a review process that determined they did not align with the Trump administration's priorities.
OPB: Critics say GOP Medicaid cuts could slash fentanyl addiction treatment
As Republicans pursue spending cuts, critics warn Medicaid funding for opioid addiction treatment is at risk. A Democratic report notes care for over a million Americans could be affected. Medicaid, expanded under the ACA, has become the main source for addiction treatment, credited with helping reduce overdose deaths by 26.6% between June 2023 and October 2024, according to CDC data.
BMC: Patient perspectives of jail based MOUD treatment: views of individuals who have returned to the community following incarceration
Massachusetts passed legislation in 2018 to mandate provision of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) in select jails to address the high risk of opioid overdose after release. This report is a Type-1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation study of the program. Participants perceived that MOUD helped to prevent relapse. Prompt and consistent access to medication, and respectful treatment by healthcare and carceral staff were highlighted as facilitators. In contrast, some participants perceived that policy-centered rather than patient-centered treatment drove timing of medication initiation or response to medication changes.
Range: Want out of prison early? Navigate the drug treatment labyrinth.
Amid a national overdose crisis that kills nearly 110,000 people annually, Washington prisons now require all applicants for early release through the Graduated Reentry (GRE) program to undergo substance use evaluations and complete any mandated treatment--even if they have no history of drug use. In 2023, the legislature passed SB 5502, responding to the opioid epidemic by imposing universal screening. The mandate applies even to those who have never used drugs. American Behavioral Health Services (ABHS), a private contractor, handles the assessments. One woman, with no history of addiction, reported having to fabricate stories of drug use to move through the program.
Addiction Policy Forum: AI Screening Tool Effective in Identifying Opioid Use Disorder and Referring Patients to Treatment
A recent study published in Nature Medicine demonstrated that an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven screening tool was just as effective as a healthcare provider-only approach in identifying hospitalized adults at risk for opioid use disorder (OUD). The research found that the AI screening significantly reduced hospital readmissions and assisted in the referral of patients to inpatient addiction specialists. Supported by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the study found that patients screened using the AI tool had 47% lower odds of being readmitted within 30 days compared to those who received traditional provider-initiated consultations.
FORE: Webinar: Medicaid's Ongoing Critical Role in the U.S. Response to the Opioid and Overdose Crisis
In March, FORE held a national webinar focused on Medicaid's Ongoing Critical Role in the U.S. Response to the Opioid and Overdose Crisis. A recording of the webinar is available on FORE's website.Insert your text here