Peer Support Specialists: An Underutilized Resource in the Criminal Justice System for Opioid Use Disorder Management?

In the wake of North America's worsening overdose crisis, the overrepresentation of individuals incarcerated with an opioid use disorder (OUD) constitutes a population at an incredibly high risk for adverse health outcomes, including death. In response, a number of important initiatives such as the provision of opioid agonist therapy to individuals with opioid addiction while incarcerated have been implemented. Although improving access to evidence-based treatment for OUD is an obvious urgent need, equally important is the need to implement novel interventions to help reduce morbidity and mortality among this high-risk group. Peer support specialists (ie, individuals with lived or shared experience) have previously been demonstrated to effectively help clients navigate the healthcare system, reintegrate within their community, and successfully adhere to their individual treatment and recovery goals. Given the known association between individuals with an OUD and exposure to the criminal justice system, routine inclusion of peer support specialists as part of the addiction interdisciplinary care team in these settings may be an effective opportunity to improve health outcomes and prevent death among incarcerated individuals with an OUD.