Inmates released from jail are much more likely to overdose and die than the general population. Yet only a few dozen jails or prisons across the country widely offer medication to treat opioid addiction.
One California lawmaker is hoping to change that. Assemblymember David Chiu recently introduced a bill to allocate funding for jails that offer medication that can ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.
For a look into why so few jails offer this medication, KCBS Anchor Jon Bristow spoke with Basia Andraka-Christou, assistant professor in department of health management and informatics at the University of Central Florida.