Transition of substance use disorder treatment to the community

Abstract People with substance use disorders (SUDs) are disproportionately impacted by the criminal legal system, and SUDs are often untreated or undertreated during incarceration. Relapse to substance use following incarceration is a major driver of morbidity and mortality and may result in people experiencing further criminal legal system involvement, generating a revolving door of cyclic incarceration and widening health disparities. Over the past several decades, some programs have provided support for people with SUDs as they transition from carceral settings to the community, but many programs do not deploy evidence-based practices. This chapter discusses best practices and evidence-based models for the management of SUDs to help people successfully transition from carceral settings to communities. It addresses a range of interventions that include treatment of SUDs during incarceration and prior to release, alternatives to incarceration, transitional case management, adherence support, and harm reduction.