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Helping Palm Beach County Become the 'Epicenter of Solution'

BY LOIS THOMSON benefits, with the center Beach County the epicenter of a solution today than we've ever had, so what we're
receiving a kickback for to the problem. He is working with the doing is not working. We've been trying
According to Joshua S. referral. "If you did that in Hanley Foundation – an organization to put a square peg in a round hole for a
Horton, substance use dis- the medical profession dedicated to stopping addiction before it very long time and it's resulted in a lot of
order "is probably the you'd lose your license and starts – to initiate the Recovery deaths and destruction of lives."
number one health crisis probably go to jail. We Leadership Institute. RLI is developing Horton said depression rates are rapid-
in the country right now, wouldn't treat people with curriculum that will be used to both edu- ly accelerating, as people quarantined
killing more people under diabetes the way we treat cate and train leaders in the community because of the COVID-19 pandemic turn
age 55 than any other people with substance use on what substance use disorder is, how it to drugs and alcohol to address depres-
cause." For that reason, disorder." works, what is wrong with the system, sion and isolation. He said much of the
Horton, of the Joshua S. Additionally, Horton said why it needs to be changed, and how treatment for alcoholism involves group
Horton law firm – which the treatment industry is they can make it happen. therapy, a connection between other peo-
specializes in use disorder Joshua S. Horton regulated under the wrong Part of the change will be to imple- ple. With quarantines in place, the
litigation – is working dili- department – the ment a governmental model that will lifestyle change is almost like taking
gently to change the system. Department of Children and Family address substance use disorder in a dif- somebody's insulin away. "It absolutely
Horton said that under the current sys- Services, not the Department of Health ferent way than has been done the past has exacerbated substance use disorder.
tem, the treatment industry sends people Care – which leads to a lack of oversight. 40 years. Horton said people are current- Some who were teetering on the edge,
with substance use disorder to an inpa- As a result, the Florida Shuffle has led to ly sent to jail, but after they are released, this pushed them over."
tient facility, and when they are released death and sexual assault, because the 66 percent of them recidivate within In working toward a solution, Horton
their problem is considered to be people in charge are untrained and three years. likened the plan to the carrot and the
resolved. "That's not the case. Substance unqualified. He emphasized that users have been stick approach. "The Hanley
use disorder is a lifelong chronic illness, He said Palm Beach County had been stigmatized because suffering from sub- Foundation, RLI, and our partners, are
much like diabetes, heart disease, and the epicenter of "pill mills" during the stance use disorder is considered to be a trying to change things legislatively.
other issues that need to be treated with opioid epidemic, and has since become crime. Plus, possession of an illegal sub- That's the carrot. If we can't change it
lifestyle change." the epicenter of treatment fraud and the stance is a felony, and once a person is legislatively, and these bad actors contin-
He referred to the current system as Florida Shuffle. In his law practice, labeled a felon, they lose access to educa- ue to commit fraud that injures vulnera-
the "Florida Shuffle," and said it doesn't Horton has worked on cases the FBI and tion, housing, employment. "Those are ble adults, we're going to hit them with
work. Horton described it as patient bro- Department of Justice have prosecuted in the three most critical components you the stick, which is litigation. They can
kering, where people are encouraged to Palm Beach County, including ones need to reintegrate into society after either fix things on the front end, or
seek treatment if they have good insur- involving wrongful death, sexual assault, being incarcerated, yet we take those we're going to come and get them."
ance. They don't receive adequate care, negligence, and exploitation of vulnera- away and wonder why they keep going
and in some instances are even given ble adults. back (to jail) time and time again. For more information, call
drugs to relapse so they can be put back However, rather than prosecuting, "We're not going to 'arrest' our way out (561) 268-2355 or visit
in a higher level of care to reap insurance Horton would prefer to help make Palm of this. There are more overdose deaths www.hanleyfoundation.org.

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26 September 2020 southfloridahospitalnews.com South Florida Hospital News