RTI uses cookies to offer you the best experience online. By clicking “accept” on this website, you opt in and you agree to the use of cookies. If you would like to know more about how RTI uses cookies and how to manage them please view our Privacy Policy here. You can “opt out” or change your mind by visiting: http://optout.aboutads.info/. Click “accept” to agree.
The impact of the communities that HEAL intervention on the provision of jail-based medication for opioid use disorder & linkage programs at release
Results from a randomized, wait-list controlled trial
Oser, C. B., Sprunger, J. G., Hunt, T., Holloway, J., Chandler, R. K., Freisthler, B., Balvanz, P., Henry, B. F., Glasgow, L., Harris, D. R., Walsh, S. L., Aldridge, A. P., Asman, K., Blevins, D., Booty, M. D., Fox, A. D., Springer, S. A., Kinnard, E. N., Knott, C., ... Friedmann, P. D. (2025). The impact of the communities that HEAL intervention on the provision of jail-based medication for opioid use disorder & linkage programs at release: Results from a randomized, wait-list controlled trial. Journal of substance use and addiction treatment, 209835. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.josat.2025.209835
INTRODUCTION: This article examines whether the Communities That HEAL (CTH) intervention implemented by the HEALing (Helping to End Addiction Long-term®) Communities Study (HCS) expanded Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) in jails and linkage to MOUD upon release.
METHODS: Communities were randomized to the CTH intervention group (N = 34) to implement an integrated set of community coalition-selected evidence-based practices or to the wait-list control group (N = 33). A three-wave survey of jail administrators assessed changes in jails' provision of OUD-related services. Community-level generalized estimating equation (GEE)-based Poisson models regressed the effect of the CTH intervention on whether a community's jail (1) inducts clients onto MOUD and (2) links to MOUD on release.
RESULTS: At baseline, more wait-list control communities' jails, compared to intervention communities' jails, inducted people on MOUD (75.9 % vs 63.3 %) and linked to MOUD upon release (79.3 % vs 66.7 %). During the evaluation period (July 2021 to June 2022), 71.0 % of CTH jails inducted people on MOUD (compared to 63.3 % at baseline), and 90.3 % of CTH jails linked persons to MOUD on release (compared to 66.7 % at baseline). Adjusted analyses detected no significant effect of the CTH intervention on MOUD induction or linkage.
CONCLUSIONS: Most CTH communities implemented linkage programs in jails. Compared to wait-list control communities, intervention communities' jails showed no difference in providing MOUD. Community coalitions can play an important role in facilitating MOUD linkage during reentry.
RTI shares its evidence-based research - through peer-reviewed publications and media - to ensure that it is accessible for others to build on, in line with our mission and scientific standards.
