Wisconsin Expands Medication Assisted Treatment in Jails and Prisons

A landmark report on medication-assisted treatment in Wisconsin’s correctional facilities shows that more incarcerated people than ever are getting evidence-based care for opioid use disorder.

The data also suggests it is saving lives. For the hundreds of thousands of Wisconsinites affected by opioid addiction, the report offers both encouraging news and a clear picture of how far the state still needs to go.

Why Medication Assisted Treatment Matters for Opioid Detox

Opioid withdrawal is not simply uncomfortable, it can be medically serious and for people leaving incarceration, it can be fatal.

Studies show that people recently released from prison face a significantly higher risk of dying from an overdose.

The reason is well established. Tolerance drops rapidly during a period of abstinence, and a return to prior-use levels of opioids can cause respiratory failure and death.

Medication-assisted treatment (MAT), the use of FDA-approved medications such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone to manage opioid withdrawal and support long-term recovery, directly addresses this risk.

Providing buprenorphine and methadone to individuals held in jails or prisons is associated with a reduction in overdose deaths after release, as well as a decreased risk of death from any cause or of reincarceration. These are not marginal improvements, they represent lives saved.

The Report’s Key Findings

The Wisconsin Policy Forum’s report, Treatment Behind Bars: Medication for Opioid Use Disorder in Wisconsin’s Jails and Prisons, was commissioned by Vital Strategies and released in late March 2026. Its findings reveal a striking turnaround since 2021.

A 2021 Department of Health Services report showed that only one-third of Wisconsin prisons offered any medication for opioid addiction, but by 2025 all 36 prisons were offering at least one medication.

The growth in county jails is equally dramatic. Currently, 53 of 65 jails that responded, or 81.5%, offer one form of opioid medication, more than double the 25 jails, or 41%, that reported at least one medication in 2021.

All state prisons now also offer two doses of naloxone, an anti-overdose medication, to individuals with a history of substance use when they leave prison, something no state prisons offered in 2021.

Wisconsin Policy Forum president Jason Stein noted that even though the number of opioid deaths has dropped noticeably since 2024, the number of overdose deaths statewide is slightly higher than vehicle deaths, making overdoses a significant public policy issue.

Understanding Buprenorphine and Methadone in Opioid Detox

Buprenorphine (often dispensed as Suboxone, which combines buprenorphine with naloxone) and methadone are the two primary medications driving this expansion.

Both are opioid agonists, they bind to the same receptors in the brain as heroin or prescription opioids, but they work more slowly and steadily, reducing cravings and preventing withdrawal without producing a significant high when taken as prescribed.

Both medications are associated with a decrease in overdose deaths as well as improvements in other important indicators such as recidivism.

Methadone must be dispensed through a federally certified opioid treatment program (OTP), making it more administratively complex for jails.

Buprenorphine, by contrast, can be prescribed by certified physicians and nurse practitioners, making it more accessible in smaller and rural facilities. In northern Wisconsin, it is typically one form of medication available, such as buprenorphine.

Access Gaps Remain a Serious Concern

Progress is real, but the report is clear that gaps remain. At least eight county jails, mostly in small and rural counties, do not provide any access to these medications, and six additional jails did not respond to the survey.

That means people experiencing opioid withdrawal in those facilities may go without medically supervised treatment entirely.

Some prisons and jails provide access to certain individuals but not others, or to certain medications but not others, meaning some incarcerated individuals who would benefit from the medications may not receive them.

Advocates at the press conference also stressed that people have a legal right to these medications.

The U.S. Department of Justice has stated that jails are required to provide opioid detox treatment through medications under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Incarcerated individuals should have recourse if that right is violated.

Pending Legislation and What Comes Next

A key gap in the current system is what happens at the moment of release, when overdose risk spikes sharply. New legislation, AB 604, has passed the Wisconsin Legislature and is awaiting Governor Tony Evers’ signature.

It would enable the state to seek Medicaid coverage for incarcerated individuals, including providing a 30-day supply of opioid treatment medication before their release.

Continuity of medication-assisted treatment through the transition from incarceration back to the community is widely considered critical to preventing relapse and overdose.

For facilities looking to expand, the report suggests that county jails may wish to seek efficiencies by building or expanding regional teams of substance use and opioid treatment specialists and drawing on opioid settlement funds to help pay for startup costs or ongoing operations.

Finding Opioid Detox Programs in Wisconsin

For people outside of the correctional system who are struggling with opioid dependence, access to medically supervised detox is equally critical.

Opioid withdrawal, while rarely fatal on its own, carries serious risks, including severe dehydration, relapse, and accidental overdose at reduced tolerance.

Medical detox programs provide around-the-clock monitoring and can prescribe buprenorphine or methadone to manage withdrawal symptoms safely.

If you or someone you love needs opioid detox in Wisconsin, do not attempt to stop alone. Search detox.com’s listing of detox centers or call 800-996-6135(Sponsored) to start receiving treatment and support today.