Corrections_Today_May_June_2023_Vol.85_No.3

Health Care Special Session & Luncheon Improving Opioid Use Disorder treatment A packed house listened to a crucial talk from Brendan Saloner Ph.D., the Bloomberg Associate Professor of

American Health, Department of Health Policy and Management, Johns Hopkins School of Public Health on current ways correctional facilities deal with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD) and some ways facilities can improve outcomes. Dr. Saloner was introduced by James A. Gondles, Jr., Executive Director of the American Correctional Association who noted the long history and the expanding international reach of ACA. Dr. Saloner began by outlining the extent of the current opioid crisis confronting the nation as a whole and correctional facilities specifically. He gave some disturbing numbers about overdoses in the general population and followed it up with more shocking statistics on OUD among incarcer ated individuals. Saloner moved on to a discussion of the cur rent state of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder

CONFERENCE OVERVIEW

(MOUD) programs in and around correctional facilities. Dr. Saloner noted there are three medi cations, approved by the FDA, for OUD and they work very well. However, correctional facilities have limited use of these medications for a variety of reasons. He thanked organizations like ACA

48 — May/June 2023 Corrections Today