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About four years ago, Dr. Nagasasikanth Mopuri was completing his medical residency program in New Jersey when he realized that many patients arriving at the hospital were incarcerated in local jails and suffering substance use disorders.
“They were doing pretty badly and the prisons weren’t equipped to handle them, so they were sending these people to hospitals,” he said.
In recent years, many county jails have begun offering medications for opioid use disorder And increase their dependence and mental health treatment programs to stabilize people during their stay in correctional facilities.
But Mopuri, who later worked in prisons, noticed another problem among the patients who were eventually released.
“I would get them sober, I would put them on medication, I would get them on the right track.
Three months later, I see them again, and I wonder: what happened? he said. “They were able to tell me, ‘Hey doc, when we go out, we don’t have access, and a lot of (doctor’s) offices don’t want to take me.'”
That’s when Mopuri had the idea to start his own clinic, Omega Doctorsin October in Medford, New Jersey, to improve continuity of care for people returning to their communities.
National data shows opioid overdose is a problem main cause of death among people coming out of jails and prisons, particularly within the first two weeks of release.
Other research shows that the majority of people those released from prison have at least one chronic illness that requires ongoing treatment, such as diabetes, asthma, or HIV/AIDS. Others are diagnosed with mental health issues like depression and post-traumatic stress.
Mopuri said he wanted the new clinic, which offers primary and specialist care, to be a one-stop shop for people with multiple and complex needs.
“It’s a combination of a holistic approach where you need medication, but also psychotherapy and other care“, he said.
Advanced practice nurse Zachary Rios said this approach is especially necessary for people who are trying to manage both a substance use disorder and a mental health issue or co-occurring chronic health condition.
“Once you can curb the addiction or treat them where they are, then you peel back the onion of all those chronic care needs that you can start to address,” Rios said.