Abstract

Formerly incarcerated individuals are often sent back into their communities with limited access to transportation, housing, employment, and access to other important services, which poses significant challenges in their ability to reintegrate successfully. Additionally, overdose death rates among former inmates with a substance use disorder is 13 times higher than the standard population and is the leading cause of death for released prisoners nationwide. One approach to mitigate these challenges and reduce overdose death rates is the utilization of peer support case management. The Safer Together Linkages to Care reentry program in Buncombe County works to connect recently released inmates with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD), to a Peer Support Specialist (PSS) in an effort to foster successful community reintegration by targeting their individualized Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) related needs. The purpose of this study was to analyze the data that were collected in the first six months of the program in order to assess which SDOH services were most needed at intake and at follow-up. Data analysis included univariate and bivariate analysis to assess the characteristics of the program participants, the percentage of expressed SDOH related needs at intake, and the percentage of expressed needs at the program’s six-month mark. The study included a total of 55 participants, most of whom were Male and White. These findings demonstrate that Sunrise resources (89%), transportation (84%), housing services (75%), and benefits (65%) were the highest needed services at intake into the program. Additionally, findings suggest that most needs were met at follow-up for at least three months. In essence, the results demonstrate that the program was overall successful at connecting participants to their SDOH needs by utilizing a PSS, which as evidenced in external research, may have the potential to mitigate overdose death rates and recidivism and could serve as a model to strengthen future reentry programs. The paper acknowledges the limitations of this research and proposes areas for further research.

How to Cite