Bridging the Gap Between Theory and Practice: Building Support for Medications for Opioid Use Disorder in Jails and Prisons

Location: Grand Ballroom ED OMNI - In the face of increasing rates of overdose death, partnerships have formed that provide unique opportunities to bridge research and theory into practice settings. This unique panel offers a glimpse into solutions that can be drawn from a variety of disciplines. Panelists include an attorney with lived experience, a national leader in the law enforcement community, and academic and policy professionals. This panel will examine how they have worked together to bridge these various perspectives to arrive at solutions.

Sheriff Peter J. Koutoujian will discuss his facility’s growth from offering a single medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) to a multi-MOUD program and the critical use of patient navigators to drive positive recidivism and health changes. Dr. Andrew Kolodny will join him to preview a longitudinal study of this work and discuss the importance of public safety and academic communities coming together to advance research.

In addition, original research by The O'Neill Institute at Georgetown University Law Center will identify the financial and public health costs resulting from a lack of evidence-based health care in correctional settings. This discussion will provide updates on policies that implement MOUD in corrections and opportunities for the future.

Suzula Bidon will discuss the importance of evidence-based treatment for substance use disorder through the lens of her legal expertise, as well as her lived experience with addiction and incarceration.

This session will examine the evidence and legal reasons for improving health care, including care for individuals with substance use disorder, in corrections and will provide practical advice for attendees who are seeking to improve conditions in correctional settings.