Gateway Presents ‘MAT in Correctional Settings’ to the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors

Steve Doherty, Corrections Division Regional Director, was invited to present to the National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors’ State Opioid Treatment Authorities on February 20th, 2015 regarding providing Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) in correctional settings. Doherty was recommended for this presentation by Dr. Kevin Knight of Texas Christian University’s Institute of Behavioral Research due to Steve’s experience integrating the use of addiction treatment medications in the treatment of chemically dependent corrections involved clients. Over the past five years, Doherty has taken the lead to expand the utilization of addiction treatment medications, particularly Vivitrol, from the community setting in Gateway’s St. Louis Outpatient program to four of Gateway’s Missouri institutional treatment programs: Ozark Correctional Center, Maryville Treatment Center, Northeast Correctional Center and Women’s Eastern Reception and Diagnostic Correctional Center.

One of three presenters for the teleconference call, Doherty underscored Gateway’s six years of experience providing MAT to corrections clients in St. Louis and he highlighted Gateway’s work in Missouri as the first state correctional system to bring MAT into its treatment system. Doherty emphasized the importance of Gateway’s collaboration with the Departments of Corrections and Mental Health, TCU and Corizon Correctional Healthcare. Stressed in this presentation was the importance of “wrap around” services including case management, attention to co-occurring mental health needs and employment readiness, which has led to positive program outcomes.

Doherty and Gateway’s St. Louis program have participated since 2010 with TCU in a National Institute of Drug Abuse funded research study of the efficacy of MAT with corrections involved clients. Through this collaboration he has provided consultation to another of TCU’s research sites in the Dallas Fort-Worth area, and to the Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons’ alcohol and drug abuse treatment services. The Federal Bureau of Prisons has a congressional mandate to incorporate MAT into their treatment system and has looked to Gateway for information about the integration of MAT services both within corrections institutional treatment, as well as in the community for corrections involved clients.