Dallas County and Parkland Health & Hospital System plan to take money received from opioid litigation and spend it on addiction treatment and assistance for people recently released from jail. It’s a well-meaning plan given just how many inmates struggle with substance abuse, but officials should proceed carefully to ensure other supports are in place so that their investment can succeed.
Parkland staff conduct health screenings and treat inmates at the county jail. They report that about a quarter of the 30,000 jail intakes they process annually score positive for substance abuse. In the 2021 fiscal year, Parkland started a medication-assisted treatment program for some inmates with opioid-use disorders. Instead of forcing drug users to go cold turkey, this kind of treatment pairs counseling with federally approved opioids that are prescribed to gradually reduce dependence on drugs.
Evidence shows that opioid addicts experience brain changes that contribute to compulsive use and cravings that can last years even when sober, Parkland staff said. Prescribed medications can help reduce cravings and withdrawals without causing intoxication or euphoria the way illicit opioids do, according to Parkland staff.
Dallas County has received $12.3 million from settlements and court decisions against pharmaceutical companies for their roles in the opioid epidemic. Parkland wants to use $2 million of that money toward a program that would screen 200 more inmates already in medication-assisted treatment for “social determinants of health” — factors like homelessness and food insecurity — and then connect 50 of them with resources and continued treatment upon release from jail. With current resources, Parkland can screen only about 80 to 100 people per year.
The goal is to ensure the transition of opioid-addicted patients from jail into community-based care and help get them on the road to recovery. Many adults in the jail system tend to be low-income minorities who face difficulties getting access to necessities such as health care, Parkland staff said. This program can help with that.
One major concern, wisely voiced by Commissioner John Wiley Price in a recent public meeting, is the availability of broader community support for these patients. He cautioned that there is no point in creating a jail release program to help people with opioid addiction if there are not enough providers to offer resources such as housing, food assistance, and family or social support.
That’s why the county is applying for a state grant that could make even more funding available. Some of that money would go toward increasing community support, such as adding beds in recovery centers, according to the county.
Officials said a plan to spend the bulk of the opioid litigation money is expected in September. As county and public health authorities consider investments to combat opioid addiction, they are looking at successful programs in other communities. They should regularly report local metrics so that Dallas County can bolster what’s working and discontinue any programs that aren’t. And the county must enlist other community partners early on so that promising initiatives can be sustained over time.
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