The Allegheny County Jail has opened an in-house licensed opioid treatment medication unit. The unit, which began operations last week, expands the jail’s ability to treat incarcerated individuals with opioid use disorder. County officials announced the opening in a press release issued Wednesday.
The jail has also begun to offer methadone induction — when the medication is introduced at a low dose before gradually increasing the dose to a therapeutic level — as part of its medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program. That means those incarcerated can begin methadone treatment at the jail even if they don’t have a prior prescription.
"Methadone induction was the missing piece in our efforts to expand MOUD access," said Holly Martin, the jail’s deputy warden for health care services. "Thanks to collaboration with our many stakeholders, we’ve now completed the puzzle."
Previously, only individuals with an active prescription could receive methadone treatment while incarcerated. The Allegheny County Jail now joins a small list of institutions that will start someone on methadone treatment.
According to the Pennsylvania Institutional Law Project (PILP), a group that advocates on behalf of incarcerated individuals, 16 of the 62 lockups in Pennsylvania will help an individual begin treatment, but not all of them will start with methadone.
The unit puts the county further into compliance with a 2023 settlement agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. The settlement came after the DOJ investigated a 2021 complaint from an individual who claimed he was denied methadone after his arrest. In the last several years, the jail has taken steps to expand opioid use disorder treatment within the facility.
The jail also offers buprenorphine, another opioid use disorder medication that can be administered as a dissolvable film in the mouth (Suboxone) or with a syringe (Sublocade, Brixadi and Naltrexone). ACJ first began buprenorphine induction in 2023.
According to PILP, many who are prescribed methadone were first unsuccessful with buprenorphine. But methadone is more highly regulated and can only be dispensed by nationally certified opioid treatment programs.
The Shapiro administration commended the jail’s expanded treatment program on Wednesday. Dr. Latika Davis-Jones, secretary of Pennsylvania’s department of drug and alcohol programs, described the unit as an example of “true leadership in addressing the opioid crisis.”
"Providing methadone induction in the jail ensures individuals receive evidence-based, lifesaving treatment both during incarceration and as they transition back to the community,” Davis-Jones said. “This initiative is a model for aligning public health and public safety to create lasting change."
Incarcerated individuals will be assessed for substance use disorder by providers from Allegheny Health Network to determine if they could benefit from beginning methadone treatment. If the individual agrees, they will be referred to the treatment unit, which manages prescriptions and medication administration.
Allegheny County awarded a two-year $2.8 million contract to Pittsburgh Comprehensive Treatment Center in October to manage the unit. The unit will also connect patients with a community provider upon release from the jail. They will also be referred to the county’s department of human services for re-entry and peer-support services.
“Substance use disorder too often results in incarceration,” said county DHS director Erin Dalton. “If we can help people begin proven treatment while they’re in jail and continue that treatment once they return to the community, we have a real chance to help thousands of people start on the path to recovery and also reduce the high risk of fatal overdose upon release.”
The progress could signal a positive shift for the jail’s MOUD program, which got off to a rocky start. Last year, a PublicSource investigation found that medication was being distributed in the middle of the night, disturbing sleep and potentially exacerbating illness of those receiving treatment. The jail has since revised that policy.
Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato, who is known to advocate for harm reduction and rehabilitation programs for those struggling with opioid use disorder, said the new unit is part of the county’s “comprehensive” approach to improve care for those struggling with addiction.
“I want to commend the leadership at DHS and the ACJ for addressing this important need,” Innamorato said. “This comprehensive approach is going to lead to better care and outcomes for those struggling with opioid use while they are in the county’s care.”
WESA ensures everyone has easy access to accurate coverage of events and issues. And that’s never been more important than it is these days. Keeping our region well-informed is at the heart of WESA’s public mission.
You hear in-depth reporting and rich context on vital issues and stories that can take months to develop. We bring you diverse viewpoints to consider the week’s key issues. This wouldn’t be possible without people in the community stepping up to help make it happen.
A gift to WESA is a gift to our community. WESA makes life better by fostering change, helping people express themselves, and facilitating greater understanding among groups and people. So many people benefit, and your gift will mean others continue to have access to important information.
Your gift of $10 a month, or any other amount, makes this work a reality.
Bill O'Driscoll
Arts & Culture Reporter
