Wisconsin jails expand opioid treatment programs

Wisconsin jails and prisons have dramatically expanded access to medications for opioid use disorder, with a new Wisconsin Policy Forum report showing availability in 81.5% of surveyed county jails—more than double the rate from 2021. All 36 state Department of Corrections facilities now continue existing prescriptions for buprenorphine or naltrexone upon intake, serving 302 people in 2024, and provide take-home naloxone doses to those with substance use histories.[1][5] These changes, credited with potentially saving lives amid over 9,000 opioid overdose deaths in the state from 2016 to 2023, stem from opioid lawsuit settlements and federal initiatives.[1][6]

The expansion builds on earlier efforts like the 2016 DOC pilot using Vivitrol and grants under 2017 Wisconsin Act 261 for jail-based medication-assisted treatment.[3] Milwaukee County's "Behind the Walls" program, launched in 2019 with federal funding and bolstered by $2.5 million from pharmaceutical settlements last year, screens inmates for treatment with buprenorphine or naltrexone, adds counseling and peer support, and schedules post-release care to curb overdose risks.[6] Pending legislation AB 604 aims to extend Medicaid coverage to incarcerated individuals, including 30-day medication supplies before release, addressing gaps where some facilities still limit access to certain drugs or people.[1]

For Milwaukee residents, this means fewer tragic overdoses among the roughly 63% of state prisoners with substance use disorders returning home, reducing family heartbreak and community strain.[6] Local programs like Behind the Walls already ease reentry burdens with housing and transport help, potentially lowering recidivism in a city hit hard by opioids.

Lawmakers will debate AB 604 in the Wisconsin State Legislature, while facilities push for universal assessments and new treatment starts, as recommended by the Policy Forum.[1][2]