Markey pitches bills to help jailed opioid abusers
U.S. Sen. Ed Markey is proposing two pieces of legislation that he says would help inmates who are suffering from drug abuse while they’re behind bars and when they’re released back into society.
Citing a record high number of drug overdose deaths in 2020, Markey on Thursday said he’s reintroducing a bill to ensure people in the justice system have access to opioid-use disorder treatment.
Another bill would let people in custody awaiting trial to keep their federal health benefits.
“We need to do better. We can do better,” Markey said outside Billerica’s Middlesex Jail and House of Correction.
While the majority of attention has been on the coronavirus pandemic during the last 19 months, it’s critical that people don’t forget about the opioid epidemic, the senator said.
“The opioid crisis did not go away during the COVID19 pandemic. In fact it got worse, much worse than it had been before the pandemic,” Markey said.
Drug overdose deaths in the U.S. reached an all-time high last year as about 93,000 Americans died, a major jump from 72,000 deaths in 2019.
The surge in fatalities was driven by opioids as about 69,000 opioid-related overdose deaths were recorded in 2020, a spike from about 20,000 in 2019.
“The numbers are absolutely staggering,” Markey said.
The need for opioid-use disorder treatment is especially important for those behind bars, he said, noting that about 85% of inmates either have a substance-use disorder or committed a crime related to substance use.
When these inmates leave jail and return to society, they’re more likely to start using drugs again and then find themselves back in jail.
“We see a vicious cycle,” Markey said, adding, “The front doors of our jails and prisons should not be revolving doors where individuals are released and because we know they still are in recovery, just do a U-turn and come right back.”
Individuals with opioiduse disorder who are released from incarceration are up to 120 times more likely to die from an overdose within the first two weeks of returning to the community.
To address these issues, Markey said he’s reintroducing his bipartisan CREATE Opportunities Act — which would develop a new grant program for local jails and state prisons to provide medication-assisted treatment.
Correctional facilities would have to provide more than one medication-assisted treatment option, and have a plan for connecting individuals to continued treatment upon their release.
Also, his Equity in Pretrial Health Coverage Act would let people in custody keep their federal health benefits. Currently, those who post bail maintain Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP and VA coverage, while those who remain in custody can lose coverage despite not having been convicted.
Middlesex Sheriff Peter Koutoujian said, “The need for this legislation is urgent … These pieces of legislation will directly address the issues that plague our communities and our incarcerated population.”