In a recent post, the City of Philadelphia defended its prison department's approach to handling substance abuse disorders among incarcerated individuals and called out media portrayal of their efforts. The statement, found on the city's official website, specifically addressed a Philadelphia Inquirer article that critiqued the system's effectiveness in dealing with the overdose crisis in city jails.
According to the City of Philadelphia, the critique by the Inquirer failed to capture the full scope of the department's programs and their importance. Bruce Herdman, prison medical services administrator, was cited as a key expert and resource who had shared insights with the paper. The federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) and the Department of Justice (DOJ), they note, tout Philadelphia's drug treatment programs as a national example. "Every incarcerated person who suffers from substance abuse disorder is offered treatment (nationally, only 11% of incarcerated individuals receive treatment)," the city proclaimed, as they sought to underscore the breadth of their efforts which include 75,000 healthcare visits and 120,000 medication prescriptions each year.
The city's post insisted on the depth of their commitment to treating drug abuse as a brain disorder and not mere criminality. They detailed their two-phased approach, beginning with comprehensive Intake Care, where substances such as Subutex are used to manage withdrawal. In Phase 2, a focus on Care During Detainment and Post-Release includes administering Methadone, Suboxone, or Vivitrol, and linking inmates to community providers post-incarceration. "Our Suboxone program may prevent as many as 120 deaths after release each year," the city said.
The response from the city also revealed plans to issue photo identification cards to inmates upon release to facilitate access to post-release care. The city demonstrated awareness of the challenges ahead, particularly in efforts to restore services to pre-COVID levels and address staffing needs. "We’ve also greatly increased our recruitment efforts over the last several months since staffing clearly is an issue," the statement conveyed, assuring that despite the challenges, their staff are striving to make all jail services excellent.
