Facilitators and barriers to adopting or expanding medications for opioid use disorder provision in rural Colorado jails: a qualitative analysis

Background Opioid use disorder (OUD) is common among individuals who are incarcerated. However, OUD treatment services are sparse in smaller county jails found in many rural areas, which limits a healthy and supportive jail environment. This study assesses the facilitators of and barriers to medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD) adoption or expansion in rural Colorado jails. A qualitative descriptive design was implemented during the summer of 2022 using semi-structured interviews with jail staff, sheriffs, and contracted personnel. Interview questions focused on facilitators of existing MOUD services and barriers to adopting or expanding services. To identify the facilitators and barriers, data were coded using thematic analysis.Results Seven jails were included in the study. Representatives from each jail participated in the seven interviews, which often included multiple participants per interview. Three of the jails had established routine practices for MOUD administration. Two jails occasionally administered MOUD or had plans in place to be able to administer, while the remaining two did not offer any MOUD. While administrative support, collaborative partnerships, and jail nurses facilitated MOUD use, barriers were more prevalent, including physical space limitations, distance to services, lack of providers in the area, staffing and training issues, funding/budget issues, and perceived risk of diversion.Conclusion Making MOUD available to people who are incarcerated is an important and timely step in enhancing the jail environment, especially in rural areas that often lack access to MOUD. As states look to require MOUD availability for people who are incarcerated, facilitators to MOUD adoption/expansion can be leveraged while strategies are needed to overcome barriers.