BILL WOULD ALLOW OUTSIDE INTERVENTION

As the 2004 Kentucky Legislative session begins, Rep. Tom Kerr will be
introducing a bill for the second time. Rep. Kerr was asked to sponsor
this bill after the death of our 23-year-old son, Casey, to a chronic,
relapsing brain disease.

We would have gone to any lengths to stop the progression of our son's
disease. However, by law, we were not permitted to force him to stay
in a treatment program which could have encouraged his recovery. He
was legally an adult who had the right to make his own choices.
Although his development had been stunted, he wasn't functioning as a
normal young adult, and his thinking was irrational, he legally
continued to make his own distorted decisions. We watched as his
disease took over his whole existence. It hijacked his brain, stole
his spirit, and finally destroyed his body.

Our son succumbed to his disease after lying in a coma for 10 days.
Casey died Aug. 19. 2002, after his third heroin overdose. Casey lost
his fight with drug addiction. His battle was over, but in many ways,
ours was just beginning.

The Matthew Casey Wethington Act for Substance Abuse Intervention will
allow parents, relatives, and/or friends to petition the court for
involuntary treatment for their substance abuse-impaired loved one who
is 18 or older. Kentucky law now only allows intervention for minors.
This petition would be followed by an evaluation of the substance
abuse-impaired individual by health professionals, and the petitioner
would accept responsibility for the cost of treatment.

When you consider the deaths that have occurred due to drug abuse, and
the many families still struggling with this disease, I think you will
see the importance of getting this bill passed.

Charlotte and Jim Wethington

Morning View