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Revise Policies and Protocols

Criminal justice agencies may have policies and procedures in place that inadvertently contribute to ongoing stigma around SUD. One common protocol that jails or courts may want to review and consider updating is restrictions on allowing individuals who have a history of criminal justice involvement to be employed as a PRSS or even simply to enter the jail to provide peer support services to inmates. Criminal justice agencies could also be well-served to engage individuals with lived experience when developing plans for programming or other services related to treating individuals with SUD. In addition, employment is often essential to achieving and sustaining recovery and criminal justice organizations can play a critical role in helping address the SUD crisis by implementing “recovery-ready” workplace policies. Recovery-ready workplaces adopt policies and practices that can help ensure that individuals with SUD are not further stigmatized during their employment search or daily work; provide access to needed services, including treatment and recovery support; and inform employees in recovery that they may have the right to reasonable accommodations and other protections that can help them keep their jobs.

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