Drug and alcohol treatment

There should be drug and alcohol programs and treatments available at every prison. The types of programs and treatments available will be different at each prison. They could include:

• One-on-one counselling
• Educational programs
• Long-term group therapy
• Transitional assistance programs
• Drug withdrawal support and Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependency (for example – Buprenorphine, Suboxone and Methadone)

Some programs and treatments are only offered to people who are serving a sentence, or are going to be on remand for a minimum amount of time.

If you are interested in doing a drug and alcohol program, you should speak to your case worker or unit manager.

Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependency (MATOD)

One of the treatments available in prisons for drug dependency is Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependency (MATOD), through the provisions of medications like Buprenorphine, Methadone or Suboxone.

Access to this treatment requires informed consent and a determination by health staff on a case-by-case assessment basis per the criteria for medical diagnosis of opioid use disorder.

Treatment can only be withdrawn or withheld when it is no longer considered clinically appropriate or safe, or when non-compliance presents a clinical risk.

The exact rules that govern the use of Medication Assisted Treatment for Opioid Dependency are based on the individual policies of custodial health service providers of individual prisons.