Kansas is again expanding its efforts to reduce opioid abuse, this time concentrating on the people involved in the criminal justice system.
The National Governors Association has selected Kansas and seven other states to participate in a nationwide study of best practices. It's an eight-month project to develop strategies for the entire nation.
The concentration will be on the criminal justice population. Fifteen percent of the more than 6,000 people leaving Kansas prisons every year have a history of opioid misuse and/or a diagnosis of opioid use disorder.
Substance abuse is a problem on a larger scale within the population who are imprisoned or paroled.
This study is a partnership between the Kansas Department for Aging and Disabilities, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and the Department of Corrections.
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Aileen LeBlanc is news director at KMUW. Follow her on Twitter @Aileen_LeBlanc.
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