Informing an Intervention to Improve Access to Community Pharmacist-Provided Injectable Naltrexone for Formerly Incarcerated Individuals in Wisconsin

In Wisconsin, opioid use disorder (OUD) is highly prevalent among individuals impacted by the criminal justice system. Medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), including injectable naltrexone, are crucial for treating OUD and especially important for individuals transitioning out of correctional facilities and back into the community. Unfortunately, few formerly incarcerated individuals are able to access MOUD upon community reentry, remaining at high risk of overdose and rearrest. Community pharmacists are a promising resource for providing injectable naltrexone to formerly incarcerated individuals using this treatment option, but are underutilized during reentry planning and by formerly incarcerated individuals upon release. This is due, in large part, to several barriers that exist across the socioecological scale. Accordingly, this study utilized a participatory design process to inform an intervention that address these barriers and improves access to community pharmacist-provided injectable naltrexone for formerly incarcerated individuals upon community reentry. Three iterative focus groups were conducted with five community pharmacists who have experience providing injectable naltrexone and treating formerly incarcerated patients. The goals of each focus group were to: 1) discuss perceptions of existing barriers and prioritize barriers to be addressed, 2) discuss and rank potential interventions to address the prioritized barriers, and 3) discuss components and anticipated challenges related to the prioritized intervention. Focus groups were analyzed via deductive content analysis using a priori categories. Based on discussions of perceived impact and feasibility, the participants prioritized two barriers to be addressed: lack of awareness of community pharmacist-provided injectable naltrexone services and lack of interagency collaboration among primary care clinics, community pharmacies, and correctional facilities. The final intervention included pharmacist-led educational meetings with correctional providers and reentry staff. Several intervention components and anticipated challenges were also identified. Next steps include developing, implementing, and evaluating the efficacy of the intervention on improving access to community pharmacist-provided injectable naltrexone for formerly incarcerated individuals.