This brief examines activities undertaken by state to expand the use telehealth to treat individuals involved in the criminal justice system with SUDs. It shares lessons learned and highlights considerations for governors who want to leverage telehealth to increase access to SUD treatments for those involved in justice.
The COVID-19 epidemic has had a profound impact on the health of people with substance use disorders. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the health outcomes of individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs). It disrupted the access to inpatient treatment, which was much needed. Social distancing and difficulties with the drug supply chain further isolated people, and led them to engage in riskier drug-use behaviors such as buying drugs from the street and using alone. The pandemic contributed to the rising number of overdose deaths. In the 12 months ending in April 2020, more than 100 000 deaths were attributed to the pandemic.
The federal and state governments recognized the need to improve the delivery of health care services during the pandemic and acted to increase access to and remove barriers for those receiving treatment for SUDs. These actions included…
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