Summaries are presented of recent studies that address various aspects of medication-assisted treatment (MAT) relevant to the needs of offenders before and after release.
Each study summary features what the authors believe to be a primary finding of the study most relevant to corrections priorities. This is followed by a full citation to facilitate accessing the full study. The studies are classified by the primary opioid medications studied, although many of the studies address overlapping issues. One main category of studies features those that pertain to the management and accessibility of MAT, such as a study that examined the decision of hospitals in Pennsylvania to participate in the Opioid Hospital Quality Improvement Program, a voluntary financial incentive program designed to increase engagement in addiction treatment for Medicaid patient with opioid-use disorder. Other sections of this report address studies of MAT treatments distinguished by the medication used in treatment (naltrexone, methadone, and buprenorphine studies). Alcohol-use disorder studies are also reviewed, along with miscellaneous studies. Studies related to withdrawal management are summarized.