DOC Medication Assisted Treatment Program to Expand Statewide
The Medication Assisted Treatment program in Delaware is expanding to every prison in the state. MAT combines medication and behavioral therapy to treat individuals who are addicted to opioids such as heroin and prescription drugs that contain opiates and is a proven approach to sustaining recovery and combating the opioid crisis. Officials say this type of treatment is crucial in making sure inmates are treated while incarcerated and leave prison healthier than when they came. The program will start at Sussex Correctional Institution and will then spread to other prisons in the coming months. It will be available to individuals who were prescribed MAT treatment in the community before their incarceration as well as individuals whose medical evaluation while incarcerated recommends MAT treatment.
To-date, 800 individuals in DOC custody have received treatment through DOC’s existing MAT programs.
