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Opioid task force report addresses legal barriers to treatment

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — The Legal Services Corporation has released its report that includes recommendations to help residents in Tennessee who cannot afford a lawyer to seek and stay in treatment for opioid addiction.

LSC formed an opioid task force in 2018 to help identify some of the civil legal issues that people suffering from opioid use disorder (OUD) face and how legal aid providers, treatment centers and government agencies can help.

Some of the barriers include custody, domestic violence, health care, housing and insurance and employment.

The task force spent 11 months working on the report.

The task force released 13 recommendations for “strengthening role the role of civil legal aid in the response to the opioid epidemic.”

People are aware that people in recovery need doctors or social workers but they also need to collaborate sometimes with a lawyer, so the need for collaboration and a lot of helpers on the table including legal aid is probably a major component of our findings," Ron Flagg of LSC told NewsChannel 5.

The report emphasized collaborating and creating better partnerships with the courts, healthcare providers and youth and faith-based organizations.

Click here to read their recommendations.