A recidivism rate of 46%, a state that has racked in over 81 million dollars in Opioid settlement money to help combat a significant drug problem. Utah has grappled with an opioid epidemic for years, with hundreds of drug overdoses recorded annually. A one-billion-dollar prison built just 3 years ago with promises and concepts of a more reform and rehabilitation motive, yet we have a prison population that has increased by 22% with 80-90% of inmates with substance/opioid disorders. Many incarcerated people suffer from health issues or chronic pain due to lack of or prolonged care being left untreated which leads to a cycle of untreated substance abuse relapses. More than ¾ of the prison population is being denied Substance/Opioid abuse treatment every day. Medication Assisted treatment (MAT) is the use of medications like suboxone or methadone in combination with counseling and behavioral therapies to provide a “whole” patient approach to treatment of substance abuse disorder. Drug addiction is a chronic, often relapsing brain disease because the abuse of drugs leads to changes in the structure and function of the brain.

MAT treatment should be implemented as soon as possible. Leaving substance abuse disorder untreated for days, months or years leaves a person at a much higher risk of overdose, death and brutal withdrawal while incarcerated. MAT is evidence-based treatment that helps avoid criminal behavior, assists by curbing opioid cravings, allowing inmates to focus on reentry and rehabilitation. MAT treatment can be short term or lifelong each person is different.  MAT is FDA approved. It does not substitute one addiction for another. Medical personnel at corrections health have stated funding is not an issue the cost is 2 cents a pill, it’s a hesitation from the executive directors. Or it must be monitored because it is a controlled medication, but controlled medications like Lyrica and Gabapentin are given out every day in pill line. Another reason is they must make sure the medication is not diverted. If you treated the incarcerated who are asking for help instead of only treated less than ¼ of the population, you would not need to worry about diversion. Instead of treating the incarcerated they are punishing them. Punishing them when they test positive for suboxone instead of other drugs like fentanyl, heroin, or meth. When they are punished, they are losing their jobs, their educational sources, visits and phone calls with loved ones. The write up goes to the Board of Pardons with a result of longer sentences.  If the corrections system can give hormone replacement treatment and Ozempic shots not for Diabetes, why are they not treating the least expensive disease Substance/Opioid use disorder? Something must change. If the inmates are acknowledging the problem and seeking help the correct way, is this not a step to becoming a better person than when they went in? Why does one’s treatment mean more than another? Not everyone who uses substances needs or wants treatment but it’s imperative that evidence-based quality care options be made available for those who do regardless of their involvement in the criminal legal system. I ask you to sign this petition mandating treatment for those incarcerated that want to better themselves and get the treatment they need. Medication Assisted Treatment is a lifeline for incarcerated individuals struggling with addiction, reducing overdoses deaths, recidivism and health care costs while promoting long-term recovery and public safety. JUST SIGN