Barnstable County Sheriff Travels to D.C. to Discuss Vivitrol Program

Barnstable County Sheriff James M. Cummings is in Washington this week to discuss his office’s Vivitrol initiative, which distributes the  drug to select members of the departing prison population to to curb opiate addiction.

Sheriff Cummings spoke Thursday at breakfast for the National Foundation for Women Legislators and will participate in a roundtable panel on Friday, Nov. 22.

The Sheriff's Office began distributing Vivitrol, "a non-mood altering, non-addictive drug that has no street value and no withdrawal symptoms" to selected inmates leaving the Barnstable County Correctional Facility 19 months ago.

In that time, 63 inmates participated in the Barnstable County program. Six Massachusetts county sheriffs have adopted similar programs as have sheriff's offices in Maine, Ohio, Missouri and New York.

“We’re just happy that people have been saved because of this [Vivitrol]," said Cummings. "And I’m sure more will be.”