CRANSTON, R.I. - White House Director of National Drug Control
Policy Michael Botticelli, joined by Health and Human Services Secretary Elizabeth
Roberts and Department of Corrections Director A. T. Wall, tour the Gloria
McDonald Women's facility at the Adult Correctional Institutes (ACI) speak with
state officials and inmates to learn more about Rhode Island's innovative approach
to prevent drug overdose and support recovery by providing medication-assisted
treatment (MAT) for opioid use disorder in the state prisons.
"There is no greater public health crisis faced by Rhode Islanders today than drug
overdose," said Raimondo. "Rhode Island stands out as a leader among states for our
comprehensive approach to addressing this national crisis, and for our focus on
getting people into treatment - including inmates, who are incredibly vulnerable to
overdose when they re-enter society. I am thrilled that Director Botticelli is
visiting Rhode Island to learn more about our innovative treatment programs, which
will help more Rhode Islanders achieve lifelong recovery."
The fiscal year 2017 budget passed by the General Assembly includes $2 million of
Governor Gina M. Raimondo's $2.5 million request to expand the use of MAT in the
state prisons. That initiative is part of a comprehensive action plan developed by
Raimondo's Overdose Prevention and Intervention Task Force to reduce overdose deaths
by one-third in three years.
