National and state policymakers came together to discuss how to safely incorporate the use of medication assisted treatment in drug courts.

The Medication Assisted Treatment Forum was hosted by the Ohio Supreme Court Office of Court Services Specialized Dockets Section at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center on Aug. 17-18. The event brought together Ohio judges, state policymakers, physicians, and treatment professionals to meet with federal agencies and health organizations to discuss medication assisted treatment as an essential intervention for people addicted to prescription opiates or heroin.

The meeting focused on:

• Educating Ohio judicial and treatment leaders about the role of medication assisted treatment in the criminal justice system.
• Developing written guidance on the use of medication in drug court.
• Identifying additional work that needs to be completed to make sure medications can be used in a fully-accountable manner.

“Everyone in this room understands that helping those with opiate addiction is a challenging and complex undertaking,” Chief Justice Maureen O’Connor commented during opening remarks. “This work is critically important not just to the people in addiction’s grip but to their families and to their communities as well. This is a statewide and national problem that crosses jurisdictions. That’s why I’m pleased to see the various partners involved.”

“This type of treatment is not always available to drug court participants. When it is, there are often restrictions on the medication type, length of treatment, and dose strength that cause unnecessary relapses and treatment failures,” Supreme Court Judicial Services Division Director Milt Nuzum said. “By bringing this diverse group together, we’ve created an opportunity to explain why medication assisted treatment is important and what needs to be done to make it available to Ohioans who are struggling with addiction.”

Among the participants were representatives from the Ohio Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, Ohio Department of Medicaid, Ohio Department of Health, Office of National Drug Control Policy, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.