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Release [printer-friendly
version] United States Reaches $1 Million Settlement with Kino Hospital in Tucson
MAR 27 -- TUCSON, Ariz. - The United States has reached a settlement with Kino Hospital in Tucson stemming from an audit and an investigation conducted after several doses of controlled substances were discovered missing from the hospital in early 2004. Commencing in fiscal year 2009/2010, Pima County has committed to fund $1,000,000 over the course of the next five years to establish a three-prong drug abuse prevention initiative that will benefit the Tucson area community. One part of the campaign is designed to educate parents and teachers of teenage students in Southern Arizona on the signs and symptoms associated with the abuse of prescription rugs. The education campaign will be developed and implemented in Southern Arizona middle schools nd high schools by the Pima County Department of Health. The second initiative financed by Pima County will be for the development and operation of an arrestee drug usage data collection program. This program will allow Pima County to rack trends in drug usage, providing data that will aid in assessing the viability of treatment efforts,law enforcement tactics and general crime analysis. The final of the three programs will be for the development and operation of a drug treatment program to be implemented within the Pima County jail system. The purpose of this program is to provide immediate access to drug treatment for Pima County inmates on a voluntary basis. The investigation leading to the settlement was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration and Elizabeth Wilson, Assistant U.S. Attorney, District of Arizona, Tucson. # # # |
