PORTLAND, Maine — The jail in Maine's most populous county has been selected for a program to expand drug treatment behind bars.
Cumberland County Jail is one of 15 sites nationwide to receive training on how to deal with opioid addiction and treatment among inmates.
The program is a collaboration between the U.S. Department of Justice and Arnold Ventures, a Texas-based nonprofit that focuses on criminal justice reform.
Funds will also pay for five staff members to attend training in Washington, D.C.
A focus of the program is helping people maintain access to treatment after being released from jail.
Cumberland County officials say only 30 of the nation's 3,200 jails offer opioid treatment medications, though research has shown they are effective.
Cumberland County Jail houses an average of 400 inmates each day.
