In a four-part series, supported by the Pulitzer Center, Maine Monitor health reporter Emily Bader takes a close look at how county jails are providing addiction treatment, exploring the types of treatment being used, the experience of one woman who went through it, the growing medical costs jails are facing and the work being done to connect prisoners with resources once they leave. With photographs by Greta Rybus.
All Stories:
How we reported on addiction treatment in Maine’s jails
A behind-the-scenes look at and key takeaways from a recent four-part series.
Overdose rates soar after incarceration. Can jails change that?
Some Maine jails are bolstering their re-entry planning, connecting prisoners with resources to prevent them from overdosing or getting arrested again. But it's an ongoing challenge.
The cost of treating addiction in Maine’s jails
The state’s 15 county jails spent an estimated $12.6 million on addiction and mental health treatment last year, often through a mix of grants and other temporary funding streams.
Her addiction started after a C-section. Her recovery began in jail
“If they can help you while you are in jail to get yourself set up for when you come out, that is the best thing that they can do for you.”
How two rural Maine jails are rethinking addiction treatment
Monthly shots to treat addiction are promising, but costly.