Groups Recover Together Expands Access to Transitional Care and Substance Use Disorder Treatment for Criminal Justice-involved Hoosiers

New state-wide collaboration between the Indiana Department of Corrections and Groups aims to reduce recidivism and prevent fatal overdoses among releasing citizens

Groups Recover Together, the nationwide leader in value-based care for opioid addiction treatment, has announced a collaboration with the Indiana Department of Corrections to coordinate transitional Opioid Use Disorder treatment for releasing citizens across the state.

During a time when overdose deaths have climbed to a record high, drug use rates, overdoses and overdose deaths are disproportionately higher among justice-involved populations. In fact, 85% of the prison population has an active substance use disorder or were incarcerated for a crime involving drugs or drug use. Further compounding the problem, a recent National Academy of Sciences report estimated that just 5% of justice-involved individuals who struggle with opioid addiction receive medication-assisted treatment, a treatment modality associated with significant reductions in opioid-related mortality. As a result, those releasing from corrections settings have a significantly increased likelihood of suffering a fatal overdose in the first days and weeks after reentry into the community.

As part of this collaboration, Indiana DOC Transitional Care members identify releasing citizens with Opioid Use Disorder and help them schedule a rapid intake with Groups. This includes overcoming barriers to treatment that individuals may face such as lack of transportation or limited access to technology. Immediately after release, citizens meet a Groups counselor for program orientation and a Groups physician for an initial buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone) prescription, if clinically appropriate. On an ongoing basis, members participate in weekly group therapy and engage with Groups’ suite of wraparound and recovery support services.

“As the opioid epidemic intensifies across the country, people who are struggling need a treatment model that addresses not just the chemical causes of addiction but also seeks to build community, address trauma, and reduce isolation,” said Dr. Jacob Crothers, MD and Chief Medical Officer of Groups. “Groups’ suite of services are designed to do just that. As a result, we’ve achieved industry-leading outcomes, including a retention rate of 74% after six months and an 89% attendance rate each week.”

Groups is uniquely positioned to support both Indiana’s Department of Corrections and those reentering the community. Groups operates 35 physical offices across the state and supports thousands of Hoosiers statewide through their proprietary telehealth platform, which allows all members to access high-quality, evidence-based care irrespective of where in the state they live or are releasing.

“Connection, a main theme in this collaboration with Groups, is vital not only to recovery but also to those releasing from incarceration,” said Maddi Wynkoop, Transitional Healthcare Manager at the Indiana Department of Corrections. “Together, we are serving the underserved and establishing a continuum of care for releasing citizens around the State of Indiana. Harm reduction methods are key in addressing the vicious cycle of recidivism for those who struggle with SUD.”

Groups Recover Together has a demonstrated commitment to serving justice-involved individuals and partnering with Departments of Corrections nationally. Since 2018, Groups has worked with Maine’s Department of Corrections to offer a similar set of services, with powerful results. Specifically, participants in Groups’ transitional care program in Maine were 60% less likely to suffer an overdose or return to custody, when compared to releasing citizens more broadly.

“At Groups, our mission is to make treatment accessible for everyone who needs it. No population is more vulnerable or in need of these services than justice-involved individuals, who are often overlooked and stigmatized," says Colleen Nicewicz, CEO at Groups. “We’re extraordinarily grateful for the DOC’s commitment to supporting this population, and we’re confident that this collaboration will save lives, support recovery, and reduce the societal and human cost of the opioid epidemic.”

Groups and the Indiana Department of Corrections plan to implement this collaborative effort across all of the state’s 19 prisons in the coming months. Critically, this service is offered at no cost to the Department of Corrections and no cost to members, even if they don’t have insurance or Medicaid coverage upon release.

Speaking about the collaboration, Maranda Williams-Sparks, Indiana DOC’s Director of Transitional Healthcare and Contract Compliance, said, “Because our mission and vision directly align, a collaboration was natural. This joint effort is exactly what public safety looks like.”

About Groups Recover Together:

Groups Recover Together delivers opioid addiction recovery services that are proven to help individuals get their lives back on track. We provide fast, easy access to medication-assisted treatment (MAT) using Suboxone (buprenorphine), as well as a program designed to build a sense of community and accountability. In addition, members gain access to services through Groups’ holistic care model, which is backed by the belief that long-term recovery from opioids is tied to social, behavioral, and economic factors that aren’t typically addressed in a traditional treatment model. Learn more at joingroups.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

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