Healthcare Quarterly
Optimizing Opioid Addiction Treatment in Correctional Centres: Learnings From Alberta, Canada
Kevin Wipf, Angela Draude, Shelly Vik, Shannon Gravely and Nathaniel Day
Abstract
Alberta has become a leader in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment within provincial corrections. Correctional Health Services developed an innovative opioid agonist therapy (OAT) program over the last decade. A more recent partnership with the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program has resulted in immediate asynchronous virtual assessment for an OUD diagnosis and OAT treatment for inmates who meet the OUD screening criteria on admission. Since the program's launch, there have been several quality improvement initiatives undertaken that have eliminated waitlists for OAT initiation, and there have been reductions in drug overdose mortality, both within correctional centres and after release.
Comments
Be the first to comment on this!
This article is for subscribers only. To view the entire article
Related Articles
Note: Please enter a display name. Your email address will not be publically displayed