On June 22, the New York Society of Addiction Medicine (NYSAM) sent a letter to Governor Andrew Cuomo urging him to sign SB1795, which would expand access to addiction treatment in criminal justice settings. The bill includes various provisions to expand access to medications for addiction treatment (MAT), discharge and reentry planning and support, counseling, peer support, and withdrawal management. 

NYSAM’s letter highlighted existing initiatives in New York which have expanded treatment to individuals who are incarcerated, such as the as the Key Extended Entry Program (KEEP), which has successfully offered medications for addiction treatment in New York City jails for decades. The letter also emphasized the efficacy of MAT, noting that it is well-studied, safe, and effective. Furthermore, offering MAT can create more orderly correctional facilities, as these medications can reduce painful withdrawal symptoms and ongoing craving for substances, which minimizes demand for contraband substances within the facilities.

Read the letter here.

Read the bill here.