BILL OF RIGHTS
Ohioans in or seeking recovery from a substance use disorder must be guaranteed these basic rights.
They should be informed of such rights when inquiring about or accessing services. Public policy and funding should not only follow, but also help bolster these rights. We must ensure that substance use disorders are treated in the same way that other chronic, healthcare conditions are treated and that the same basic rights be afforded to us.
We have the right to have our health insurance cover addiction treatment as it does other medical treatment.
Congress recognized this right in 2008, but little has been done in Ohio to make sure that our rights are supported. Substance use disorders should be treated the same way that other biological illnesses are treated.
We have the right to use our insurance to pay for services and not have to pay cash.
We have the right to recover close to home.
As addiction continues to ravage our state, more and more treatment options are being made available. We have the right to access affordable, quality, evidenced-based care in our own communities.
We have the right to an ethical referral.
As the number of providers in the treatment and recovery industry grows, so does the pressure to fill beds. We have the right to know if someone that offered to help us is paid by a treatment center. We have the right to be referred to a facility that is appropriate for our treatment and not because there is a financial incentive for the referral source.
We have the right to individualized care and informed consent.
Just like any other disease, we have the right to be presented with all options available to us. We will be presented with a range of options, including the associated risks and benefits, in order to provide our informed consent for the option that is in our best interest, not our provider’s.
Our treatment shall be determined by our individual case and needs.
We have the right to quality, comprehensive, evidence-based treatment.
Addiction is a bio-psycho-social and spiritual disease. While medication is immensely helpful, it should not be the only tool used to treat our multifaceted disease.
We have the right to have our health information protected by 42 CFR Part 2
Health records from addiction treatment are immensely private and must be kept confidential. We have the right to privacy and to have our health information be protected by HIPAA and 42 CFR when applicable.
We have the right to ongoing recovery support services.
Ongoing recovery support services are crucial to maintaining long-term recovery. We should be informed of and connected to recovery support services during and after treatment, in the healthcare system and in the criminal justice system. We have the right to access these important services in our local community and while involved with the criminal justice system, including incarceration.
We have the right to safe, standardized and affordable housing.
We have the right to recovery housing that is certified by a reputable organization that specializes in recovery housing such as Ohio Recovery Housing, Oxford Housing or the National Alliance of Recovery Residences. Our recovery home must adhere to best practices and quality standards as defined by the aforementioned organizations. We have the right to move out of recovery housing and find safe and affordable housing options in the local community.
We have the right to pursue secondary education alongside recovery supports.
Due to criminal backgrounds and poor academic performance during active addiction, people in recovery often face numerous barriers when beginning or returning to post- secondary education. Recovery support programs on campus are crucial to supporting our continued recovery and should be provided to us in the same way that other specialized student populations receive individualized support services.
We have the right to meaningful employment.
Access to meaningful employment that provides a livable wage is crucial to our recovery. This does not mean lowering the standard or expectations of what people in recovery can accomplish.
