Ashe County Sheriff’s Office Announces Launch of Medication-Assisted Treatment Program to Support Recovery and Reduce Recidivism
The Ashe County Sheriff’s Office is proud to announce the implementation of a new Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Program within the Ashe County Detention Center, a proactive initiative designed to address substance use disorder among incarcerated individuals and support safer, healthier communities.
The MAT Program focuses on treatment, recovery support, and long-term stability by combining evidence-based medication with counseling, peer support, and coordinated reentry services. This program recognizes that substance use disorder is a chronic medical condition, one that contributes to crime, destroys families, and leads many individuals back into the justice system. By providing treatment while individuals are incarcerated and continuing support as they transition back into the community, the Sheriff’s Office is taking meaningful steps to break that cycle.
Medication-Assisted Treatment uses approved medications to assist individuals struggling with opioid or alcohol dependence. These medications help reduce cravings, lower relapse risk, and allow participants to focus more successfully on counseling, life skills, and rebuilding their lives. This approach is supported by leading health organizations nationwide as a proven strategy to improve outcomes and reduce overdose deaths.
The program is structured around strong partnerships with community treatment providers, healthcare professionals, and peer-recovery organizations. Working together, we ensure participants receive comprehensive support that includes:
- •Clinical screening and individualized treatment planning
- •Long-acting, injectable medication for opioid and/or alcohol use disorder
- •Counseling and behavioral health services
- •Reentry planning, linkage to community care, and peer-recovery support
- •Ongoing follow-up to encourage long-term success
Our goal is not only to support individuals during incarceration, but also to prepare them for a healthier future upon their return home. By addressing addiction at its root, the Ashe County Sheriff’s Office is investing in safer neighborhoods, stronger families, and more stable lives.
Sheriff Howell noted that this program reflects the agency’s commitment to both accountability and compassion. “We cannot arrest our way out of addiction. We must focus on treatment, recovery, and second chances. When we help people overcome substance use disorder, we reduce crime, we save lives, and we strengthen our community.”