FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Kentucky Jails Urged to Expand Opioid Treatment as New Legal and Public Health Guidance Launches
Contact:
Tony Newman: tnewman@vitalstrategies.org; 646-335-5384
Dave Lucas: dlucas@vitalstrategies.org; 347-749-7713
The University of Kentucky and Kentucky Association of Counties promote new implementation resources and video to help counties use settlement funds for lifesaving medications behind bars.
March 25, 2026 (Frankfort, Kentucky) —Across Kentucky, counties continue to confront the devastating effects of the opioid crisis. A significant proportion of individuals moving through county jails have an opioid use disorder and the weeks immediately following release are associated with a dramatically elevated risk of overdose death.
Expanding access to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) treatment inside jails is one of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk. The University of Kentucky and Kentucky Association of Counties are offering technical assistance and implementation support to organizations and county officials seeking to make MOUD more widely available. As of June 2025, The University of Kentucky expanded the resources available through their Rapid Implementation Technical Assistance (RITA) hub to offer help specifically on shaping jail MOUD programs.
“Methadone and buprenorphine are the gold-standard treatments for opioid use disorder,” saidDr. Margaret McGladrey, University of Kentucky. “Facilities that implement MOUD programs report dramatically better health and reentry outcomes.”
The University of Kentucky worked with Vital Strategies created a new animated video about opioid use disorder (OUD) in Kentucky county jails. This video is part of University of Kentucky and Kentucky Association of Counties’ collaborative effort to inform counties about the technical assistance available to them, and to encourage jail leaders to get connected for these free resources.
“Access to medications for opioid use disorder in jails is a legal and public health necessity,” said Dave Lucas, Senior Technical Advisor for Vital Strategies Overdose Prevention Program Kentucky. “Counties have both the opportunity and responsibility to act and save lives. This informational video provides key stakeholders with crucial information about how to expand evidence-based care in county jails.”
The brief animated video highlights the public health imperative of making buprenorphine and methadone more accessible to those incarcerated. It also offers a legal framework to bolster the expansion of this lifesaving treatment in jails. The explainer was designed for county leaders, jail administrators, public health officials, and policymakers seeking clear, practical guidance on implementation pathways and available support.
The video outlines how national opioid settlement funds can be used to support MOUD expansion in jails. Under Exhibit E of the settlement agreements, MOUD in correctional settings is explicitly identified as an approved use of abatement funds. Counties can leverage these resources to build sustainable programs that improve health outcomes, reduce recidivism, and enhance facility safety.
Opioid use disorder is recognized as a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and courts across the country have affirmed that jails may not categorically deny access to medications such as methadone or buprenorphine. Failure to provide access to these medications can expose facilities to significant legal risk.
“Kentucky counties are working hard to ensure opioid settlement funds are used in ways that make a real difference in their communities,” said Lauren Carr, Opioid Settlement Advisor for the Kentucky Association of Counties. “KACo is proud to support those efforts by providing technical assistance, educational opportunities, and resources that help local leaders navigate the settlement requirements and maximize the impact of these funds.”
Organizations and county officials interested in technical assistance are encouraged to contact Brook Hiltz at brooke.hiltz@uky.edu or Lauren Carr at lauren.carr@kaco.org.
To access and download the video, click here.
About Vital Strategies
Vital Strategies is a global health organization that believes every person should be protected by a strong public health system. Our overdose prevention program works to strengthen and scale evidence-based, data-driven policies and interventions to create equitable and sustainable reductions in overdose deaths in several U.S. states and local jurisdictions.
To find out more, please visit www.vitalstrategies.org or follow us on LinkedIn.
About University of Kentucky
The Rapid Implementation and Technical Assistance (RITA) Hub at the University of Kentucky College of Public Health partners with criminal legal system, health, and social service agencies across Kentucky to inform implementation and evaluation of evidence-based practices to prevent and treat opioid use disorder. To access free technical assistance please contact Brooke Hiltz at Brooke.Hiltz@uky.edu