Is There a Role for Extended-Release Naltrexone in Drug Courts? Results of a Pilot Study
Author: Michael W. Finigan.; Tamara Perkins.; James E. Sullivan.; James A. Kandrevas.
Source: Volume 18, Number 06, March/April 2015 , pp.81-88(8)
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Abstract:
Although one of the key elements in drug court programs is addiction treatment, a recent national survey (Matusow et al., 2013) revealed that medication for addiction treatment was substantially underused. Studies have shown that extended-release naltrexone treats alcohol dependence effectively (Garbutt et al., 2005) and prevents long-term relapse to opioid dependence following detoxification. This pilot study suggests that the use of extended-release naltrexone to treat alcohol-dependent drug court participants at high risk for recidivism may represent a significant evidence-based advance.Keywords: alcohol-impaired driving fatalities; alcohol dependence; relative risk reduction; rearrest; recidivism; cost analysis
Affiliations:
1: Northwest Professional Consortium, Inc; 2: NPC Research; 3: Drug Court commissioner 22nd Judicial Circuit; 4: district court judge 28th District Court.