Abstract

Alberta has become a leader in opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment within provincial corrections. Correctional Health Services developed an innovative opioid agonist therapy (OAT) program over the last decade. A more recent partnership with the Virtual Opioid Dependency Program has resulted in immediate asynchronous virtual assessment for an OUD diagnosis and OAT treatment for inmates who meet the OUD screening criteria on admission. Since the program's launch, there have been several quality improvement initiatives undertaken that have eliminated waitlists for OAT initiation, and there have been reductions in drug overdose mortality, both within correctional centres and after release.