Pennsylvania Authorizes County Jails To Use Unspent Vivitrol Funds On Methadone & Suboxone

Pennsylvania authorized county jails to repurpose millions of dollars originally earmarked for a single addiction medication to now cover a broader range of Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatments for incarcerated individuals with substance use disorders. The change, enacted through the state's 2025-26 budget, allows previously uncommitted funds from a decade-old program to support medications like methadone and buprenorphine (Suboxone) in addition to naltrexone (Vivitrol).

The original 2015 program focused exclusively on naltrexone as a non-narcotic option. The goal of this one-time expansion authorization is to allow Pennsylvania county jails to provide more comprehensive . . .