Why Don’t They Care
Having a loved one in recovery means you’ll always live on the edge. Sadly we learn this fact over and over again. I thought maybe overdosing would have a huge impact on my son. It did not. He is back in jail, found unconscious in his truck with needles and drugs on his lap. Why? Why can’t he “get it”. Why when he’s having a baby in 2 weeks? Why when he has 3 other kids that love him? Why when he needed to take his stepson to football practice? Why when he just celebrated his birthday? Why when he’s running a successful business? Why when he has so many people that he can turn to? Why, just why?
Why did the County Prison not provide my son with needed treatment to continue his recovery from April to July of 2019? This is a violation of the Americans with Disability Act. It has been upheld in in Federal Court. It is cruel and unusual punishment to make someone withdraw in jail without supervision and contributes to more overdoses and relapses when they are released. If we are going to stop the opioid crisis and prevent deaths with need to attack it from every angle. This is not something I’ve heard people be concerned about. It has only been individual cases where the Federal Court has said yes, it is a violation of the ADA. So why aren’t changes being made?
https://lac.org/federal-court-orders-jail-to-provide-methadone/
http://www.abajournal.com/news/article/how_the_ada_could_change_jails_prisons_addiction_treatment
I have sent an email to the Disability Rights Agency in my state explaining what has transpired with my son. The administration of the county facility did not provide needed medical treatment and this contributed to his overdose and relapse. And now he has to suffer for their incompetence and non compliance with the law. The ADA laws need to be upheld to protect all individuals. I will be sure to keep you updated when I hear back from them. This could be beneficial to many of you reading this. Everyone deserves every chance to recover, not to have people in charge treat them as though they don’t matter. There is no urgency to enforce this and there needs to be.
This is when I’ll see if just one person can start a change. This is not only for my son, although he has inspired my action, but for everyone who is suffering and will suffer without a change. It’s for my family and your family so you do not have to fear for your loved one going through withdraw from the one thing that is supposed to help them. We all need to work together. Together we can make a change.
I wish I knew a lawyer that would be willing to take on a case like this. A case that could change the future as well as possibly help with the opioid crisis we are in the midst of. It just takes a voice, someone to speak loud and clear that this will not be accepted. If you are that someone let’s work together.
