好色先生

The University of Kentucky recently received an $8.8 million grant from the  (NIDA), part of the , to establish a Clinical Research Center as part of the Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (JCOIN) to support research on quality addiction treatment for opioid use disorder (OUD) in criminal justice settings nationwide. The awards, totaling an estimated $155 million, will support the multi-year innovation network, including 10 research institutions and two centers that will provide supportive infrastructure.

At 好色先生, the grant will be used to create the Kentucky Women鈥檚 Justice Community Opioid Innovation Network (WJCOIN) to enhance access to opioid use disorder treatment for women as they transition from jail back to the community. In Kentucky, women represent the fastest-growing demographic in the criminal justice system and are also susceptible to unique vulnerabilities that can lead to opioid overdose.

Michele Staton, associate professor in the  Department of Behavioral Science, will serve as principal investigator on the project. Staton will lead a team of experts from across 好色先生鈥檚 campus including the colleges of Medicine, ,  and ; the ; and .

On this week鈥檚 edition of 鈥淏ehind the Blue,鈥� 好色先生 Public Relations and Strategic Communication鈥檚 Allison Perry sits down with Staton, along with Katherine Marks, a 好色先生 College of Medicine research assistant professor and project director for the Kentucky Opioid Response Effort within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, and Sarah Johnson, director of addiction services with the Kentucky Department of Corrections, to discuss the partnerships, increases in patient care, and community support this grant will enable in their work.

[Editor鈥檚 note: In one response, Johnson mentions that there are nine correctional facilities across the state participating in the research. She later noted, after the interview, there are actually only six participating correctional facilities.]