TUCSON, Ariz. (KGUN) — A new bill in the Arizona legislature, SB1257, is aimed at expanding court order stabilization for those dealing with drug addiction and would allow them to remain in detox for up to five days.
One supporter of the bill, Ted Maxwell, president of the Southern Arizona Leadership Council, said they're trying to help people make decisions about recovery and the five-day detox will help.
“We want to help people make decisions to help take control of their lives, I think 1257 will help them do that," Maxwell said at the Arizona Capitol in February.
For Desiree Auge, she said working at Community Medical Services helped her in her recovery.
“It’s been a journey in my own recovery,” she said. “I pretty much started the normal way in high school — party and drinking.”
But she said recovery didn't happen until she was ready to get help.
“There were times I came out of prison and I went right back to using," she said. "So those periods of abstinence didn’t really help. You can’t force someone to do things that they aren’t ready to do.”
SB1257 allows people to apply for others who are impaired or suspected of being impaired to be put into treatment. Kayla Kurti, who works in harm reduction at Sonoran Prevention Works, said it's better to create a trusted, supportive community when trying to help someone to recovery.
“Expansion of treatment and resources is always amazing," Kurti said. "But something that we think a lot about at Sonoran Prevention Works is that with treatment or services being offered, is that voluntary or is it being coerced? And we are concerned that this bill leads toward coercion given that it is an involuntary admission.”
The bill is currently still moving through the legislature.
——-
Tina Giuliano is a reporter for KGUN 9. She is a native Arizonan and grew up in Scottsdale. Tina is passionate about storytelling and is excited to work telling Tucson's stories. Share your story ideas and important issues with Tina by emailing tina.giuliano@kgun9.com or by connecting on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
