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PRESS RELEASE. From San Mateo County Health Department on September 9th, 2025.
To provide more flexible treatment options for opioid use disorder among incarcerated persons, San Mateo County Health’s Correctional Health Services has adopted Brixadi, a long-acting injectable buprenorphine, as part of its Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) program for at risk individuals in San Mateo County’s correctional facilities.
Buprenorphine reduces cravings and withdrawal symptoms for people with opioid use disorder. Unlike daily tablets or strips, Brixadi provides steady relief in weekly or monthly doses. This flexibility gives health care providers more options to meet each patient’s needs and offers stability even in the unpredictable environment of correctional facilities, where release dates and transfers often come with little notice.
Each month, Correctional Health Services treats more than 125 individuals experiencing opioid withdrawal, representing over ten percent of the monthly incarcerated population. Because many are released or transferred with little notice, consistent treatment has been difficult. Release from custody is a vulnerable time, when cravings return and overdose risk is greatest. Until now, patients leaving custody were often given buprenorphine strips, which required strict timing and self-management. Many struggled to stay on track during that gap in care. With Brixadi, patients can leave custody already stabilized on a longer-acting medication. This reduces the chance of relapses and supports recovery during the critical transition back to the community. Brixadi treatment can also begin quickly, ensuring that even patients with short or unpredictable stays have access to care.
“Time in custody can be unpredictable, but treatment shouldn’t be,” said Darryl Liu, a clinical social worker who oversees the MAT program at Correctional Health Services. “Brixadi allows us to quickly stabilize patients and make sure they have continuity of care once they leave. That stability helps reduce relapse and lowers the risk of reincarceration.”
Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is a voluntary program that combines medication with counseling and behavioral therapy to help patients manage substance use disorder. The program began in 2018 under Liu’s leadership with just one patient. Today, more than 70 patients choose the treatment each month, demonstrating the program’s steady growth and impact. Participants receive individualized care, education about recovery and coordination with community providers so they can continue treatment after release.
By expanding treatment options like Brixadi, Correctional Health Services is helping individuals at risk of overdose reconnect with support systems and take steps toward lasting recovery.
“This work is about continuity of care,” said Michael del Rosario, director of Correctional Health Services. “We want to make sure that when someone leaves custody, they have every possible opportunity to stay on treatment, reconnect with their families and move toward stability.”
Author: mdrag
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