Tag: Mohammed Aly

Orange County resident and public interest attorney Mohammed Aly writes about the local campaign to implement best medical practices for treating opioid addiction in the Orange County Jail. Orange County loses hundreds of lives each year to the opioid crisis. Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) is the most effective medical response, using a combination and drugs and therapy to treat opioid addiction and deter relapse. By local policy, however, only pregnant inmates can access MAT upon booking in jail. Barring adequate opioid treatment for inmates exacerbates the health crisis and violates federal law. Funding MAT access would save taxpayers hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in hospitalization and law enforcement costs. For these reasons, advocates are calling for the Board of Supervisors to implement MAT access in the Orange County Jail.