Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Criminal Justice System: Brief Guidance to the States | SAMHSA Publications

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Criminal Justice System: Brief Guidance to the States | SAMHSA Publications

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) in the Criminal Justice System: Brief Guidance to the States

The opioid epidemic has significantly penetrated the criminal justice (CJ) system. This brief provides guidance to state governments on increasing the availability of evidence-based MAT in CJ settings. By including the CJ system as a path to treatment, states may see an increase in access to, and retention in treatment, and lower rates of overdoses, re-offending, and re-incarcerations. In this brief, states are provided an overview of the issue, the challenges to incorporating MAT, key considerations for establishing MAT in CJ settings, and existing standards/guidelines.