Jail-Based MOUD Performance & Outcome Tracking | Wilkes County, NC
Wilkes County, North Carolina, shared this four-page program summary at the September 2026 Rural Virtual Solutions Swap, as an example of how a jurisdiction can track and communicate implementation and outcomes for a jail-based medication for opioid use disorder (MOUD) program. The resource combines cumulative program data with a more detailed snapshot of activity from January–June 2026, using accessible charts and graphics to summarize participant characteristics, referrals, treatment engagement, service utilization, and program processes. Since implementation, the program reports serving 410 participants, providing 608 pre-release and 122 post-release extended-release naltrexone injections, and making 153 referrals to community-based MOUD through Project Lazarus.
The resource also demonstrates how programs can examine the participant pathway from initial interest through treatment. For the January–June 2026 reporting period, it tracks referral sources and the time from referral to eligibility and treatment, as well as the proportion of interested individuals who received first, second, and subsequent injections. Additional measures include post-release peer support follow-up, Medicaid utilization, substance use and prior MAT history, reported overdose history, and injection reactions.
How to use it
Use the resource as an example when identifying performance measures for a jail-based MOUD program, including referrals, eligibility timelines, medication delivery, participant retention, and post-release connections to services.
Adapt the reporting format to translate program data into a concise, visually accessible summary for county leaders, funders, community partners, or other stakeholders.
Examine the "interested-to-injection" progression as an example of how programs can identify where participants continue or disengage along the treatment pathway.
Consider the broader measures, such as peer support follow-up, Medicaid utilization, overdose history, and treatment reactions, when developing data collection systems that extend beyond simply counting the number of individuals receiving medication.
Who might use it
Jail administrators and correctional health providers operating or developing MOUD programs.
Behavioral health, substance use treatment, and reentry program staff.
Program managers and grant administrators responsible for performance measurement and reporting.
Jurisdictions seeking examples of meaningful measures for tracking jail-based MOUD implementation, participant engagement, and continuity of care following release.