Allegheny County, Opioid Use Disorder, Pennsylvania 2024

Allegheny County Agrees to Provide Opioid Use Disorder Treatment, Pays $10,000 Settlement

Washington, D.C. - In a move to address the opioid epidemic, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania has agreed to offer treatment with any Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) to all individuals booked into the Allegheny County Jail (ACJ) for whom such treatment is medically appropriate. This agreement comes after an investigation by the Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania found that the county had denied an individual access to methadone in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). As a result, Allegheny County will pay $10,000 to the individual.

“Too many individuals with opioid use disorder cycle in and out of jails because they can’t find a path to recovery,” said Assistant Attorney General Kristen Clarke of the Civil Rights Division. “This agreement will ensure that Allegheny County Jail provides access to medications that can help break that cycle. These effective, evidence-backed treatments provide viable paths to recovery for those struggling with substance use disorders and help our communities begin to heal.”

Under the three-year agreement, Allegheny County will implement new policies and personnel training programs to ensure that people with OUD who are incarcerated at ACJ receive medically appropriate treatment for their disability. Specifically, Allegheny County will medically evaluate all individuals for OUD at the start of their incarceration. It will ensure that individuals who were receiving OUD medication from a licensed treatment provider before their incarceration are continued on that medication. The county will also offer all individuals with OUD booked into the jail the option to receive treatment with any FDA-approved medically appropriate OUD medication, even if they were not being treated with that medication before their incarceration.

Allegheny County will not change or discontinue an individual’s use of a particular OUD medication unless doing so is based on an individualized determination by a qualified medical provider. The county also will not use incentives, rewards or punishments to encourage or discourage individuals at ACJ from receiving any particular OUD medication. 

Allegheny County, Pennsylvania - The Justice Department announced that Allegheny County, Pennsylvania has agreed to offer treatment with any FDA-approved medication for opioid use disorder (OUD) to all individuals booked into the Allegheny County Jail for whom such treatment is medically appropriate. Allegheny County will also pay $10,000 to an individual allegedly denied access to methadone in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

This agreement is a significant step in addressing the opioid epidemic and ensuring that individuals with OUD receive the treatment they need while incarcerated. The Civil Rights Division’s Disability Rights Section handled this matter in collaboration with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Pennsylvania.

Defendant: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | Charges: Violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) | City and State: Allegheny County, Pennsylvania | Date: Not specified | Outcome: $10,000 settlement, agreement to provide OUD treatment | Dollar Amount: $10,000

Source: https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdpa/pr/justice-department-secures-agreement-pennsylvania-jail-provide-medications-opioid-use