* § 626. Medication assisted treatment in correctional facilities. 1. For purposes of this section "medication assisted treatment" means treatment of chemical dependence or abuse and concomitant conditions with medications requiring a prescription or order from an authorized prescribing professional. 2. (a) The commissioner, in conjunction with the office of alcoholism and substance abuse services, shall establish a program to be administered at correctional facilities within the department in the state, for the purpose of employing medication assisted treatment for inmates in such facilities who are undergoing treatment for a substance use disorder. Such program shall include all forms of medication assisted treatments approved for the treatment of a substance use disorder by the Federal Food and Drug Administration for the duration of an inmate's incarceration and shall provide an individualized treatment plan for each participant. After a medical screening, inmates who are determined to suffer from a substance use disorder, for which FDA approved addiction medications exist shall be offered placement in the medication assisted treatment program. Placement in such program shall not be mandatory. Each participating inmate shall work with an authorized specialist to determine an individualized treatment plan, including an appropriate level of counseling. Decisions regarding type, dosage, or duration of any medication regimen shall be made by a qualified health care professional licensed or certified under title eight of the education law who is authorized to administer such medication in conjunction with the inmate.

(b) i. Such program shall also include conditions for a reentry strategy for inmates who have participated in medication assisted treatment. Such strategy shall include, but not be limited to, providing each participating inmate with information on available treatment facilities in their area, information on available housing and employment resources, and any other information that will assist the inmate in continued recovery once released. Such program shall also assist the inmate in Medicaid enrollment, prior to release. ii. Such program shall provide participating inmates preparing for release from prison with a one-week supply of any necessary medication, where permissible under federal laws and regulations to continue their medication assisted treatment in an effort to prevent relapse.

(c) Reentry planning and community supervision should include a collaborative relationship between clinical and parole staff including sharing of accurate information regarding the inmate's participation in medication assisted treatment to ensure that their medication is not deemed illicit or illegal. Additionally, procedures shall be developed to assist any reentrant who communicates a relapse with their parole officer or who fails a drug test, to receive substance use disorder support in lieu of arrest and/or incarceration. 3. The commissioner shall submit within one year of the effective date of this section and annually thereafter, a report to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on the effectiveness of the program established pursuant to this section. Such reports shall include an analysis of the impact of such program on the participating inmates, including factors such as institutional adjustment, behavior infractions, reentry rates, HIV and hepatitis C treatment, and program participation, among related relevant factors. The reports shall also include the impact on institutional safety and performance and any recommendations for additional legislative enactments that may be needed or required to improve or enhance the program as determined to be appropriate by the commissioner. 4. Participation in the medication assisted treatment program shall not be withheld from a qualified inmate. An inmate may enter into such program at any time during his or her incarceration. An inmate using medication assisted treatment prior to such inmate's incarceration shall be eligible to, upon request by such inmate, continue such treatment in the medication assisted treatment program for any period of time during the duration of such inmate's incarceration. No person shall be denied participation in the program on the basis of a positive drug screening upon entering custody or upon intake into the program; nor shall any person receive a disciplinary infraction for such positive drug screening. No person shall be removed from, or denied participation in the program on the basis of having received any disciplinary infraction: (a) before entry into the program; or (b) during participation in the program. * NB Effective February 4, 2022