Treatment for Opioid Addiction Often Brings Discrimination

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People who are in medical treatment for substance abuse can face additional discrimination — including in medical and legal settings that are supposed to help

One of the government's recent settlements was with a Colorado program that helps house and employ people who are homeless. A potential client filed a complaint claiming she was denied admission because she uses buprenorphine to treat her addiction. As part of the settlement, Ready to Work is paying the woman $7,500. Stan Garnett, a lawyer for the organization, said Thursday that the organization's staff is being trained to comply with the law.

“We’re not looked at as another medical facility or counseling office,” Haight said. “We’re looked at because we do addiction.”Overdoses from all opioids, including prescription drugs containing oxycodone, heroin and illicit laboratory-made varieties including fentanyl, have killed more than 500,000 Americans in the last two decades, and the problem has been growing only worse.

Marcus Buchanan used methadone from 2016 through 2018 to help end a decade long heroin habit. During that time, he was looking for work near his home in Chouteau, Oklahoma — mostly at factories — and could never land one. “The next step is helping employers understand this is a disease instead of a moral failing,” Bissett said. “We don’t think about substance abuse disorder the way we think about diabetes, for example.”

 

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Addiction is a disease! Where are the treatment programs for people who have no insurance. If they are sick or injured and seek treatment at doctors or hospitals they are treated as drug seekers. I’ve seen this firsthand with a family member. It’s a disgrace!!

I avoid this issue not being an addict.

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