Delivering Healthcare in Correctional Settings

People who are incarcerated have a constitutional right to quality healthcare services. This week’s guest expert, Dr. Justin Berk, is responsible for ensuring every person who is incarcerated at Rhode Island’s correctional facilities has access to, and receives, quality healthcare.  Dr. Berk is medical director at the Rhode Island Department of Corrections and a faculty member at the Warren Alpert Medical School at Brown University. He is a staunch advocate for increased access to medications, such as buprenorphine and methadone, for people who are incarcerated and living with opioid use disorder. In this episode, Dr. Berk expands on how Rhode Island is a national leader when it comes to providing treatment and recovery support services for incarcerated individuals. How is support for opioid use disorder and recovery delivered in Rhode Island’s correctional settings? What health conditions are common in correctional settings and how are they addressed? How did COVID-19 impact healthcare delivery in these settings? Download this week’s episode to find out.