USA. Initiating methadone in jail: Is it cost effective?
USA. Initiating methadone in jail: Is it cost effective?
Medications for opioid use disorder (e.g., methadone, Suboxone) may be particularly useful in jails and prisons because of their ability to reduce overdose risk after release. However, few studies have looked at the cost-effectiveness of such services, meaning that the benefits and use of services are worth the financial resources needed to provide them. Cost-effectiveness studies help to inform the utility and feasibility of expanding services nationally. In this study, the researchers evaluated the cost and cost-effectiveness of two methadone treatment interventions to produce negative drug tests one year after release. Results showed that methadone treatment provided along with services that facilitate community-based treatment navigation, akin to “recovery coaching”, appear to be the most cost-effective option. (Recovery Research Institute, USA, 22.03.2021)
https://www.recoveryanswers.org/research-post/initiating-methadone-in-jail-cost-effective/