In partnership with the Larimer County Jail, SummitStone Health Partners, and the North Colorado Health Alliance, the Health District received a three-year, $588,724 grant award from The Denver Foundation. The grant will help incarcerated adults living with substance use disorders to access medication-assisted treatment (MAT) within the jail.

MAT is the use of medications, in combination with behavioral therapies, for the treatment of opioid and alcohol use disorders. Studies show that MAT reduces drug use, disease rates, and overdose-related deaths; promotes addiction recovery; and reduces criminal activity, arrests, probation revocation, and re-incarcerations.

This funding will support individuals with substance use disorders by allowing them to continue treatment during their incarceration, or give individuals the opportunity to begin evidence-based treatment while in jail, increasing the chances of recovery from addiction, and reducing the likelihood of relapse and overdose-related deaths upon release.