MIDDLETON – Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders joined Essex Sheriff Kevin F. Coppinger in the formal opening of the new Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Center at the Middleton House of Correction. Today’s event was the culmination of progressive criminal justice reform and the implementation of providing comprehensive Medication Assisted Treatment services to incarcerated populations.
Sheriff Coppinger stated, “Today’s event celebrates the accomplishment of the newly completed physical space that delivers the described MAT services. Within the 1600 square foot center, patients can receive all necessary interventions, treatment and services necessary for patient care and success. Since the start of MAT services at the Essex County Sheriff’s Department 339 inmates have become patients.”
“Providing medication assisted treatment to individuals in Houses of Corrections allows individuals to start earlier on their path to recovery. I congratulate Sheriff Coppinger on the opening of the MAT Center,” said Marylou Sudders, Secretary of the Executive Office of Health and Human Services. “By providing more timely access to medical and behavioral health treatment and social supports to justice-involved individuals, we can promote their successful transition back into our communities and improve outcomes.”
The Center is a dispensary that was designed in collaboration with the Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and the Massachusetts Drug Control Program (DCP) to achieve compliance with their regulatory and monitoring standards. Other space within the Center is used for medical and clinical care. The Sheriff also highlighted the Male and Female Clean and Sober Existence (CASE) Units. The CASE Units provide a positive environment for detoxification and long-term planning through a comprehensive 28-day treatment program to pretrial detainees to effectively address their addiction.
In 2018, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts signed into Legislation an Act for the Prevention and Access to Appropriate Care and Treatment of Addiction. In response to this mandate, Essex and six other counties entered a 4-year pilot program to fully examine the implementation of MAT within a correctional setting. The Essex County Sheriff’s Department with the guidance of the Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Massachusetts Drug Control Program and federal partners within the Drug Enforcement Administration and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) developed a correctional best practice model for the treatment of Opioid Use Disorders.
Wellpath and Acadia Health were instrumental in achieving program design and medical/clinical policy. Both organizations provided vital insight relating to program policy, licensing, regulatory requirements and best practices within medical/clinical services. Both agencies continue to provide medical and clinical management of the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program for the Essex County Sheriff’s Department.
On September 1, 2019 the Essex County Sheriff’s Department officially launched full MAT services to include the administration of Buprenorphine/Suboxone, Methadone and Naltrexone/Vivitrol. The services provided are comprehensive in design and include medically supervised dosing and clinical support in addition to individual and group counseling. Other required clinical services consist of discharge planning to preserve a continuum of care to patient communities and outcome reporting to regulatory agencies.
Also in attendance were officials from the Massachusetts Legislature, Judiciary and representatives from State and Federal government including the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett’s Office, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH), Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS), Massachusetts Drug Control Program (DCP) and Federal Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA).
Sheriff Kevin Coppinger explains MAT program
Massachusetts Heath and Human Services Director Marylou Sudders
