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| Florida jail alters policy on methadone |
| By Orlando Sentinel |
| Published: 08/09/2001 |
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The Orange County Jail will begin administering methadone to some inmates, a watershed policy change that comes two months after an inmate died during withdrawal. Initially, the agreement to continue patients' doctor-prescribed treatment behind bars will extend only to clients of The Center for Drug-Free Living in Orlando, Central Florida's largest, private nonprofit drug-treatment center. But negotiations are under way with three other Central Florida methadone clinics for similar agreements, said County Chairman Rich Crotty, who had urged the jail to change the policy. 'We really can't sit and do nothing,' he said. 'Somebody died in our jail for a second time and we had to respond with an interim procedure for handling methadone patients in our jail.' Crotty was referring to the deaths of inmates Karen Johnson and Susan Bennett. Johnson, 43, and Bennett, 42, had been on methadone treatment to break addictions to painkillers. Both died in methadone withdrawal, Johnson on June 7 and Bennett in 1997. Until now, the jail's policy called for inmates on methadone -- a synthetic narcotic used to wean addicts from heroin and opiate painkiller addictions -- to withdraw cold turkey. Methadone withdrawal can cause severe distress, such as continual vomiting, diarrhea, tremors and seizures. The jail's policies warned that methadone withdrawal can be fatal. Under the new guidelines, when inmates say they are on methadone treatment, jail medical staff will verify that information with The Center for Drug-Free Living -- and other centers once they are on board. The center will send seven days' worth of dosages in a lockbox to the jail pharmacy; the courier will not have a key to the box. Jail nurses will administer the dosages. Physicians at the jail and the center will collaborate on any medical problems that might arise. The jail's guidelines also will be changed so that inmates who are withdrawing from methadone will get medical attention sooner. Johnson's mother, Catherine Hirsch, said she feels good that her daughter's death was not in vain. 'I'm glad they're going to do it now,' she said. 'Maybe it will save someone's life.' |
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