The state of wisconsin FY24 residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) program will increase the number of jails offering FDA-approved medications, prepare individuals for reintegration into…

The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ) has been awarded a $583,432 Formula Grant under the U.S. Department of Justice's Residential Substance Abuse Treatment (RSAT) for State Prisoners Program (CFDA 16.593). The goal of this 4-year grant, effective October 1, 2024, is to increase the number of jails in Wisconsin offering FDA-approved medications, prepare incarcerated individuals for reintegration into communities, and assist with reentry and aftercare services. The grant will fund substance use disorder (SUD) treatment and medication-assisted treatment (MAT) programs at five local jail sites in rural or underserved areas across two regions of the state. These sites have well-established MAT programs and will use the funding to ensure all individuals identified with SUD or opioid use disorder (OUD) have access to all three FDA-approved medications to treat OUD.

The state of wisconsin FY24 residential substance abuse treatment (RSAT) program will increase the number of jails offering FDA-approved medications, prepare individuals for reintegration into communities, and assist individuals through reentry and after release. The primary focus will be to support both jail-based and aftercare services. Five local sites have been selected in rural or underserved areas in two different regions of the state. This funding will help expand the availability and access to FDA-approved medications to two different regions of the state while providing SUD treatment and access to medication-assisted treatment (mat) to individuals who are incarcerated and after release. The five programs selected have well-established mat programs and are in local jails in the counties of dunn, clark, wood, fond DU LAC, and winnebago. The five selected locations have established medication assisted treatment programs through funding from the comprehensive opioid stimulate substance abuse program (COSSAP) grant. These COSSAP funds have allowed these five sites to build the needed infrastructure to facilitate these complex programs. Each site has already developed SUD screening processes at the time of intake, connected participants with individuals with lived experience, and expanded the use of telehealth to ensure access to health care services. The selected sites will utilize funds to ensure all individuals who have been identified as having a SUD or OUD have access to medication assisted treatment (mat), more specifically access to all three forms of FDA-approved medications to treat OUD. The five selected site projects are well-positioned to develop expertise in working with these difficult client populations and could be influential in efforts to develop more effective treatment approaches throughout the state.while strategies need to be developed to better evaluate these efforts and share the results with similar efforts statewide, RSAT funding provides a starting point for this analysis.