On January 27, the Utah Society of Addiction Medicine (UTSAM) submitted a letter in support of HB38, which would incentivize practitioners to provide addiction treatment in correctional facilities and require the state to pursue a state plan amendment to allow Medicaid pre-enrollment for certain inmates. The letter was submitted to the primary sponsor of the bill, State Representative Brad M. Daw.

In the letter, UTSAM stressed the importance of providing treatment for addiction in correctional settings, noting that medications for addiction treatment have been shown to decrease recidivism and save lives. By creating a tax credit for clinicians who treat substance use disorder in correctional settings, HB38 would help to improve health outcomes and recidivism rates. Furthermore, by requiring that the state apply for a state plan amendment to allow certain incarcerated individuals to enroll in Medicaid prior to their release, the bill would help incarcerated individuals receive treatment during the fraught transition from incarceration to release.  

Read HB38 here.

Read the letter here.