Maricopa County Brings Opioid Medication Into Its Jails

The initiative: Maricopa County is using its share of Arizona’s $1.215 billion opioid settlement to expand Medications for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) inside county jails — paying for the staff and infrastructure to initiate buprenorphine or methadone treatment during incarceration, then connect people to community providers upon release.

Why incarceration is a crisis point: The period immediately following jail or prison release is among the highest-risk windows for overdose death. People leave with zero tolerance (weeks or months without opioids), often with acute withdrawal still active, and frequently without a treatment plan. Without MOUD continuation, many resume use at pre-incarceration doses — with a newly lowered tolerance that makes fatal overdose far more likely.

The Arizona landscape: Arizona ranks 49th out of 51 states and territories for behavioral health access. More than five Arizonans die daily from opioid overdoses, and the state’s own data shows that fewer than 1 in 20 Arizonans with opioid use disorder receive MOUD like buprenorphine or methadone. Expanding access at the point of incarceration — a captive, high-need population — is a logical priority.

Settlement mechanics: Arizona’s One Arizona Agreement distributes 56% of settlement funds to counties, cities, and towns and 44% to the state. Maricopa County’s allocation is significant — Maricopa is the most populous county in the state and home to the largest share of the population served by the county jail system. As of mid-2026, $87 million in settlement awards have been distributed statewide.

FY2026 priorities: The state’s prioritized uses include prison and jail treatment services — meaning Maricopa’s jail-MOUD expansion aligns with the state framework and can draw on state settlement allocations as well.

Why This Matters for People in Recovery

For Arizonans with opioid use disorder who have contact with the criminal legal system — a significant overlap — MOUD in jails can be the intervention that makes the difference between overdose death and sustained recovery. This is the settlement money working as intended.

If you or someone you know is navigating reentry after incarceration and needs treatment support, Rize can help identify providers in your area who specialize in post-incarceration care.

Find opioid treatment providers in Arizona → | Learn more about MOUD →