The guilford county (NC) sheriff's office is teaming with three community partners in order to address the opioid crisis in two county detention centers

The Guilford County (NC) Sheriff's Office was awarded a $1,589,826 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice's Bureau of Justice Assistance (CFDA 16.838 - Comprehensive Opioid, Stimulant, and other Substance Use Program) to address the opioid crisis in two county detention centers. The 3-year project, beginning October 1, 2024, aims to reduce substance use disorder recidivism by 50% through strategies such as law enforcement deflection and diversion, increased availability of naloxone, and evidence-based substance use disorder treatment including medication-assisted treatment, contingency management, and motivational interviewing. Key activities involve incorporating harm reduction and recovery support services for pre-trial and post-trial populations, and embedding social workers, peers, and persons with lived experience to assist justice-involved individuals and their families.

According to the north carolina department of health and human services, from 2018 to 2022 guilford county had an 85% increase in the number of opioid overdose deaths. The proposed project focuses on law enforcement deflection and diversion; availability of naloxone for law enforcement, jail staff, and other justice system practitioners; and evidence-based substance use disorder treatment related to opioids, stimulants, and other illicit drugs, such as medication-assisted treatment, contingency management, and motivational interviewing. Additional areas to be addressed include incorporating harm reduction activities and recovery support service engagement with the pre-trial and post-trial populations in and reentering the community from local jails, and embedding social workers, peers, and/or persons with lived experience to assist persons with justice involvement and their families navigate the justice system and to increase their connection to treatment and recovery support services. The goal of the project is to reduce the substance use disorder recidivism rate by 50% to 9 persons per week in year 3, through comprehensively addressing the issues related to the substance use disorders of individuals while in the jail and post-release.