Kentucky Reforms Drug Court Regulations To Allow Participants To Receive Medication Assisted Treatment Beyond Six Months

On March 24, 2015, the Kentucky Supreme Court amended rules for drug courts in the state to remove a restriction limiting medically assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction to six months. The state’s drug court judges have the final decision on whether to permit MAT drugs—Suboxone (buprenorphine plus naloxone), methadone, and in some areas, Vivitrol—and for how long depending on the treating physician's determination of medical necessity and the drug court participant's compliance with drug court requirements.

Kentucky’s drug courts are operated through the Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). As of May 2015 . . .