Ohio Jail Program Aims to Break Opioid-Incarceration Cycle

COLUMBUS, OH – December 03, 2025 – In a move that signals a significant shift in correctional healthcare, Armor Health has announced an expansion of its Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) program within the Franklin County jail system. In partnership with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office, the initiative now incorporates SUBLOCADE, a long-acting injectable (LAI) for opioid use disorder (OUD), aiming to provide uninterrupted care and reduce the staggering rates of recidivism linked to addiction.

The program represents a critical test case at the intersection of medical technology, public health policy, and the criminal justice system. While lauded as an evidence-based approach to a devastating local crisis, it also places its provider, Armor Health, under a microscope, a company navigating ambitious technological goals alongside a history of significant operational and financial challenges.

The Clinical Innovation: A New Tool for a Controlled Environment

The core of the enhanced program is the introduction of SUBLOCADE, a monthly injection of buprenorphine. Unlike its daily, sublingual predecessor, the injectable formulation offers distinct advantages within a correctional setting. The primary benefit is the near-elimination of diversion risk—the illegal trade of medication among inmates—which has long been a major security concern and a barrier to implementing MAT programs in jails and prisons.

From a clinical standpoint, long-acting injectables provide a steady state of medication, which helps suppress cravings and withdrawal symptoms more consistently than daily-dose forms. This stability is crucial for individuals with moderate to severe OUD. Medical studies have shown that extended-release buprenorphine can double treatment retention rates post-release compared to sublingual versions, a critical factor in preventing relapse during the vulnerable transition back to the community.

Armor Health’s program model begins at intake with comprehensive screening for OUD. For those identified, treatment can start immediately, ensuring continuity for individuals who may have already been in a community-based program prior to their arrest. This approach directly confronts a long-standing failure of the justice system: the forced, abrupt withdrawal from treatment upon incarceration, a practice that dramatically increases the risk of fatal overdose upon release.

A Response to Franklin County's Devastating Crisis

The implementation of this advanced MAT program is not happening in a vacuum. Franklin County has been an epicenter of Ohio’s opioid epidemic. In 2022 alone, the county suffered 753 accidental drug overdose deaths, and it was estimated that OUD cost the local economy $2.1 billion in lost productivity and $126 million in drug-related incarceration costs. While preliminary 2023 data shows a slight decrease in fatalities, the pervasive presence of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl means the threat remains acute.

This initiative aligns with a growing legal and ethical consensus that denying access to MAT for incarcerated individuals is not just a public health failure, but a potential violation of their rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment. By providing the community standard of care, Franklin County and Armor Health are positioning themselves at the forefront of a national shift.

"Our goal is not just to meet the standard, it is to set the standard for correctional healthcare," stated Armor's CEO, Otto Campo. He applauded Franklin County leadership for championing evidence-based care, adding that the use of SUBLOCADE "enables them to experience the same quality health care received by those of us outside the walls of prisons, jails, and correctional centers."

The Provider's Paradox: Innovation vs. Track Record

Armor Health presents itself as a technology-forward innovator, leveraging proprietary "Insights Analytics" and a partnership with Antidote-AI to deploy predictive modeling and risk scoring. The company’s stated goal is to use data to deliver "the right care, at the right time, in the right place." This high-tech approach is central to its market strategy in the often-overlooked correctional healthcare sector.

However, the company's ambitious vision is contrasted by a troubled history. In the past two years, Armor Health has faced severe scrutiny, including being held criminally liable for a detainee's death in Milwaukee County in 2022. More recently, reports in early 2024 detailed significant financial distress, including liquidation of assets and millions in unpaid debt from lawsuit settlements and verdicts. Furthermore, in early 2023, the Sheriff of Clarke County, Georgia, sought to terminate a contract with the provider, citing concerns over inadequate care and staffing—allegations Armor Health denied.

This complex background creates a high-stakes environment for the Franklin County program. Its success or failure will not only impact the lives of those it serves but will also be a crucial data point in evaluating whether Armor Health has successfully pivoted from its past difficulties and can deliver on its promise of setting a new, higher standard for care.

Beyond the Walls: The Critical 'Warm Handoff'

Perhaps the most pivotal component of the program is its focus on reentry. The period immediately following release from incarceration is fraught with peril; overdose risk is exceptionally high as tolerance to opioids has decreased. To combat this, the program is built around a "warm handoff" process.

This involves intensive reentry planning that begins long before an individual’s release date. Armor Health’s care teams work to connect patients with community-based providers in Franklin County’s robust network, which includes organizations like the ADAMH Board, Alvis, and Foundations Ohio. The goal is to ensure a seamless transition, with appointments scheduled, insurance coverage addressed, and transportation arranged, so that the continuity of care is not broken.

While ideal in theory, the warm handoff is notoriously difficult to execute perfectly. Success depends on flawless coordination between the jail and a wide array of external agencies, each with its own capacity limits and bureaucratic hurdles. A single gap in the system—a missed appointment, a lapse in housing, or a delay in benefits—can be enough to trigger a relapse.

The Franklin County initiative, therefore, serves as a powerful model for what modern, humane correctional healthcare can look like. By integrating advanced pharmacotherapy, data analytics, and a deep commitment to continuity of care, it offers a tangible strategy for breaking the devastating cycle of addiction and incarceration. Its ultimate success will depend not only on the technology inside the jail but on the strength and resilience of the community support system waiting on the outside.