People leaving correctional facilities experience drug overdose rates that are approximately 10 times higher than those of the general population. To mitigate this risk, jails and prisons are increasingly providing medication for addiction treatment (MAT), an evidence-based approach for treating addiction, particularly opioid use disorder. However, providing MAT in jail settings presents unique challenges compared to prisons, as lengths of stay can be short and unpredictable.

The Camden County Correctional Facility (CCCF) in Camden County, New Jersey, operates an MAT program that serves 220+ people daily, out of an average daily jail population of around 900. The program has successfully reduced the risk of overdose among participants following their release. A key factor in CCCF’s success is its partnership with Cooper University Health Care, which provides technical assistance, staff training, and serves as a trusted community-based provider for people leaving CCCF. 

The Better Care Playbook recently spoke with Sharon Bean, Jail Population Manager and Justice Systems Reform & Innovations Unit Supervisor at CCCF, and Ernest Egu, MD, Medical Director, Correctional Addiction Medicine, Cooper University Health Care, to learn how this correctional-health care partnership has improved outcomes for program participants.