In Case You Haven't Heard…

Abstract

Another success story in the slow but consistent progress in getting medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) to patients who are in jail: Last week, a federal appeals court in Boston upheld a lower court ruling that the Aroostook County Jail in Maine must provide a woman with medication‐assisted treatment for her substance use disorder while she serves a 40‐day sentence. “This ruling sends the strongest message yet that jails and prisons need to provide incarcerated people with their doctor‐prescribed medicine for opioid use disorder, just like any other medical condition,” said Emma Bond, staff attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union of Maine. “Other facilities should take note and do the right thing, and not wait for further legal action.” The ruling involving Brenda Smith, who uses buprenorphine for treatment for OUD, was in favor of the patient and against the jail, which wanted to deny her treatment. Such a denial would have resulted in painful withdrawal symptoms and an increased chance of relapse, overdose and death upon release. Before the appeals court issued its ruling, several medication associations from around New England and nationwide, including the American Medical Association, American Society for Addiction Medicine, Maine Medical Association and Maine Association of Psychiatric Physicians, filed a motion to join the case as amici in support of the patient. For more information, including the order, go to https://www.aclumaine.org/en/cases/smith‐v‐aroostook‐county.