A federal judge has given the go-ahead for a class-action lawsuit against The Salvation Army that could expand access to addiction medications.

The backstory: Three plaintiffs allege they were denied access to addiction treatment services by The Salvation Army because of their use of medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD).

• The Salvation Army bills itself as the “largest provider of residential drug and alcohol abuse treatment,” running 122 Adult Rehabilitation Centers across the country as of late 2024. But it prohibits ~60 medications it says are “known to be abusive and addictive,” including methadone and buprenorphine.

The update: Last week, a judge gave an order establishing two classes for a class-action lawsuit.

• One allows individuals denied access to MOUD to file for injunctive relief, like an order that the facilities allow the medications. Any individual who takes MOUD as provided by a doctor and who seeks to participate in The Salvation Army’s centers is eligible for this class.
• The other allows individuals who allege they have been harmed by The Salvation Army’s policy to sue for damages. This class is only open to those who can document they were discharged from an Adult Rehabilitation Center for taking prescribed MOUD.

The context: The judge’s ruling relies on the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which bars any group receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating against an individual solely on the basis of their disability. Other courts and the Department of Justice have also expressed on several occasions that denial of MOUD constitutes a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

What’s coming: The injunctive class portion of the case will proceed to a non-jury trial.

Why it’s important: The lawsuit could demonstrate to facilities that denying access to MOUD can carry consequences and set a precedent that leads more treatment providers to offer MOUD regardless of their ideological objections.