Expert Insights
I know drug courts get a bad rep, but I think they’re a good idea. I recently read that 80 percent of people with opioid addiction want to stop or reduce their use, according to a professor at UCLA. He argues that getting entangled in the legal system doesn’t help to engage in care and people with substance use disorder may benefit from decriminalization and less legal pressure. It so happens that the Senate agreed and they passed a bill meaning getting caught with hard drugs in the state of Washington is now a misdemeanor, but defendants must engage in treatment programs.
~ Olivia Pennelle
Resources
- Benavidez, A. (2021). Kern Valley Sun. Kern County reflective of state and nation in overdose rate.
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2022). Know Your Rights: Parity for Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Benefits.
- Towncharts.com. (2022). Kern County, California Healthcare Data.
- Department of Health Care Services. (2022). Do You Qualify for Medi-Cal Insurance?
- Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. (2021). 2022 Medicare Parts A & B Premiums and Deductibles.
- Guerin, L. NOLO. (2021). Family and Medical Leave in California.
