CODAC Announces Three-Year Accreditation of Opioid Program at RI Corrections Facilities

Providence, R.I. (January 31, 2020) – CODAC Behavioral Healthcare has announced the three-year accreditation of its medication-assisted treatment (MAT) program at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections (RIDOC). 

All opioid treatment programs must be nationally certified in order to prescribe medication. In the case of correctional facilities, accreditation is obtained from the National Council on Correctional Health Care (NCCHC). 

“We have so much to be proud of. CODAC, together with the RIDOC, is one of only 14 organizations nationwide to earn a three-year accreditation from the NCCHC. It is the hard work of CODAC’s dedicated correctional services team that, together with our partners at the RIDOC, has allowed us to achieve this national recognition,” said Leslie Bridgman, JD, LCDP, the CODAC Director of Correctional Services. 

The program at RIDOC created first-in-the-nation protocols for the provision of medication-assisted treatment, using all three FDA-approved medications for treating opioid use disorder for incarcerated individuals. Before the inception of the program, inmates who served more than 60 days were withdrawn from opioids without the use of MAT services during their sentence, putting them at risk of relapsing and overdoing upon their release. 

Accreditation from the NCCHC is an exhaustive process in which applicants must meet 47 rigorous standards. Accreditation includes a side visit with surveyors who interview inmates, clinicians, administrators, and medical staff, and audit record, politics, procedures, and other program documents. 

“This accreditation represents the successful culmination of an authentically collaborative effort by CODAC and the RIDOC,” explained Linda Hurley, CODAC President & CEO. “This top-level, 3-year award recognizes a groundbreaking opioid treatment program, inside the RI Department of Corrections, that has been called a national model and which is being duplicated across the country.  Most of all, we are proud that our partnership with the RIDOC is saving lives in Rhode Island.”  

The NCCHC is a nationally recognized organization whose mission is to improve the quality of healthcare in jails and prisons. The organization is a respected leader for setting standards for healthcare services in correctional facilities. NCCHC’s accreditation is recognized by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration) and the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT). 

About CODAC Behavioral Healthcare

Founded in 1971, CODAC Behavioral Healthcare is Rhode Island’s oldest and largest provider of outpatient services for opioid use disorder, other substance use disorders, and concurrent behavioral health challenges. With nine locations across Rhode Island, CODAC is uniquely positioned to provide services when and where they are needed. For more information about CODAC, visit: www.codacinc.org.

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