Mat: connecting recovery and community (MCRC) aims to improve recovery outcomes for persons in our care (PIOC) of the wisconsin department of corrections (DOC) with opioid use disorder (OUD) in…

Mat: connecting recovery and community (MCRC) aims to improve recovery outcomes for persons in our care (PIOC) of the wisconsin department of corrections (DOC) with opioid use disorder (OUD) in milwaukee county by: 1) increasing access to medication-assisted treatment (mat) at the milwaukee secure detention facility (MSDF), 2) reducing overdoses due to decreased opioid tolerance during incarceration, and 3) increasing DOC staff knowledge of behavioral health disparities and mitigation strategies. MCRC will provide mat and recovery support services to 425 incarcerated individuals diagnosed with OUD over the course of the five-year project: year 1: 50, year 2: 75, year 3: 100, year 4; 100, and year 5: 100. The project team, comprised of a mat-dedicated nurse clinician, mat-dedicated treatment specialist, MSDF medical team, and other substance use disorder (SUD) treatment program staff, will work together to reduce opioid use among individuals returning to and living in the milwaukee community. To support this work, DOC will partner with wisconsin community services (WCS), a milwaukee-area non-profit human services organization that provides access to a continuum of services for individuals facing challenges with justice system involvement and behavioral health needs, to provide certified peer specialist (CPS) services. WCS is the largest provider of peer specialist services in wisconsin with over 60 peer specialists currently serving those in recovery. Individuals participating in MCRC will have the option of two FDA-approved medications, naltrexone (VIVITROL) and buprenorphine extended-release (SUBLOCADE). They will also receive 1-to-1 counseling from a licensed SUD treatment professional and evidenced-based sub programming, university of cincinnati corrections institute's (UCCI) "cognitive-behavioral interventions for substance abuse: adult" (CBI-SUA) and "thinking for a change," (T4C) an integrated cognitive behavioral change program. A critical infrastructure component to expand equity and accessibility to mat treatment and other recovery services, DOC medical and treatment staff, as well as division of community corrections (PROBATION/PAROLE) regional staff, will receive training on the effects of behavioral health disparities on access to mental health and substance abuse services and strategies to mitigate these effects. Known nationally for high poverty and incarceration rates, especially among black residents of whom represent 77% of the MSDF population, MCRC will provide critical treatment and recovery support services to a chronically underserved population in milwaukee county.