News Release

Lowder & Foudray conducting evaluation of Medication For Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) provision in Fairfax County Adult Detention Center

Grant and Award Announcement

George Mason University

Lowder & Foudray Conducting Evaluation Of Medication For Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Provision In Fairfax County Adult Detention Center

Evan Marie Lowder, Associate Professor, Criminology, Law and Society, College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CHSS), and Chelsea Foudray, Post-Doctoral Research Fellow, Criminology, Law and Society, CHSS, received funding for the project: “Evaluation of Medication for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD) Provision in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center.”

Lowder and Foudray will work with the Fairfax County Sheriff’s Office and data providers to develop a plan for securely handling sensitive data.

They will identify a cohort of individuals with opioid use disorder in the Fairfax County Adult Detention Center, and establish different pathways of MOUD initiation, continuity, and non-initiation.

Where feasible, they will request data from public health and criminal-legal agencies to track outcomes.

Finally, they will conduct final data analysis and prepare a report of study findings to disseminate to stakeholders.

Lowder and Foudray received $50,000 from Fairfax County for this research, with funding from the Virginia Opioid Abatement Authority. Funding began in July 2024 and will end in late June 2025.

Findings from this study will inform best practices for initiating individuals into medication for opioid use disorder in a jail setting and providing proper continuity of care in the community post-release.

###

ABOUT GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY

George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 40,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility. In 2023, the university launched Mason Now: Power the Possible, a one-billion-dollar comprehensive campaign to support student success, research, innovation, community, and stewardship. Learn more at gmu.edu.


Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.