Journal of Addiction Research & Therapy
Open Access

Abstract

T ransition from incarceration to communityposes a relapse threat for many at-risk offenders with alcohol or opiate addiction. Although providing pharmacotherapy is an evidence-based treatment approach to reduce relapse episodes, many community corrections systems have not adopted or acceptedreferral to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) therapies. CJDATS-2 (Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies) is a 5-year initiative by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to examine implementation strategies in criminal justice settings. As part of the Medication-Assisted Treatment Implementation in Community Correctional Environment (MATICCE) project, mixed-methods analysis was conducted with quantitative survey data and qualitative data (coded from semi-structured interviews) to exploreopinions about MAT in community corrections to gain an understanding of staff attitudes and motivations that shape organizational performance related to the use of MAT. Mixed-methods analytic techniques provide an opportunity to identifypotentially significant themes emerging out of novel information. Findings are discussed in the context of an organizational intervention strategy aimed at effectively implementing MAT service delivery by enhancing knowledge and increasing collaboration between criminal justice agencies and community- based treatment providers.

Biography

Jennifer Pankow completed her Ph.D. at Texas Christian University (TCU) and accepted a position with the TCU Institute of Behavioral Research after relocating to Texas from Illinois where she worked as a prison-based substance abuse treatment counselor and case manager with adult offenders. In addition to her role as Project Director on CJDATS protocols, Jennifer has published on a range of topics related to substance abuse treatment (www.ibr.tcu.edu) and maintains her license as a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Her clinical background and academic accomplishments provide a unique perspective that Jennifer brings to her research activities with correctional populations.