Harm Reduction: A Response to the Opioid Epidemic in a Large Urban County Jail

About the Program

Category: Health (Best in Category)

Year: 2020

Opioids are a class of drugs therapeutically used to treat pain. Opioids include both legally prescribed medications and illegal drugs such as heroin. Nasal naloxone (“naloxone”), better known by the trade name, Narcan®, is a prevention medication that can reverse the deadly effects of an opioid overdose. In Arizona, the opioid epidemic was declared a statewide emergency in June 2017. In response, Correctional Health Services partnered with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO) to implement the Harm Reduction program at the Maricopa County Jails in July 2017. The goal of the Harm Reduction program is to educate incarcerated individuals who are on withdrawal protocols about the effectiveness of naloxone in reducing opioid deaths. Program participants receive (1) education to identify the symptoms of an opioid overdose; (2) instructions to administer naloxone; and (3) the option to receive naloxone placed in their property for use post-release. Those who do not initially opt to receive naloxone can submit a request if they subsequently change their mind. Correctional Health Services has distributed naloxone to 6,481 individuals in the program. The Harm Reduction program strategy is supported by the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act and is aligned with national best practice recommendations.