title: Assessing need for medication-assisted treatment for opiate-dependent prison inmates.
abstract: Individuals with a history of heroin dependence are overrepresented in American correctional facilities and 75% of inmates with a drug use disorder do not receive treatment during incarceration or after release. Medication-assisted treatment (MAT) with opiate agonists, such as methadone or buprenorphine, constitutes standard of care; to guide planning for an expansion of drug treatment services in correctional facilities, a needs assessment was conducted at the Department of Correction and Rehabilitation (DCR) of Puerto Rico (PR). The authors report on the research process, the findings that informed their recommendations for the DCR to expand MAT for eligible inmates, and lessons learned.
authors.affiliation: Center for Evaluation and Sociomedical Research, University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, Puerto Rico. carmen.albizu@upr.edu
authors.forename: Carmen E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Albizu-García
authors.forename: José Noel
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Caraballo
authors.forename: Glorimar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Caraballo-Correa
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hernández-Viver
authors.forename: Luis
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Román-Badenas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002047:Buprenorphine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006556:Heroin Dependence / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008691:Methadone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020380:Needs Assessment; D058850:Opiate Substitution Treatment; D011329:Prisoners; D011647:Puerto Rico; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D002047:Buprenorphine; D008691:Methadone