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Addiction Medication in Pennsylvania’s Jails Inadequate

Updated: Sep 9, 2022

By Melissa Schiffman


Thank you for highlighting the important medical issues surrounding access to adequate addiction treatments in jail (July 11). Addiction is an eminently treatable medical condition.


Medically-assisted treatment is safe and effective and is becoming the standard of care for opioid addiction in the same way that insulin is for someone with Type 1 diabetes. A large percentage of people with opioid fatalities in our community have prior interactions with the justice system. Not providing this treatment is a missed opportunity to intervene in a way that will help save lives and improve the health and wellness of so many vulnerable people in our community.


We call on Governor Tom Wolf and our state legislators to provide specific funding to justice systems to provide this safe and necessary treatment.


Originally published in the print edition of the Inquirer on July 18th, 2022


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