Newsroom
News About Addiction, Recovery and Advocacy
If you want to be in the know about what’s going on at our organization, you’ve come to the right place. Be sure to check back regularly to get our latest news updates.
Change the Names – Remove “Abuse”
Policymakers in all levels of government have an opportunity and a responsibility to work towards eliminating stigma by using non-stigmatizing terms for addiction. Individuals and institutions must do better to treat addiction as the public health crisis that it is, and treat individuals with compassion and respect. This includes all candidates in the nation who are in a position to influence the public’s views in both positive and negative ways.
Your voice is needed RIGHT NOW as we urge Congress to change the names of federal institutions that contain the word “abuse” in them. Research shows that changing the term “substance abuse” to “substance use disorder” or “addiction” can reduce negative public perceptions and encourage more people to seek treatment.
Sign the petition today and then forward it on.
https://actionnetwork.org/petitions/change-the-name-end-the-stigma
Recovery Voices Count
As we enter the final month of the 2020 election cycle, it becomes more vital that we include the faces and voices of recovery at all levels of civic engagement, including analyzing candidates’ comments about individuals in recovery from substance use disorders. Presidential and other debates provide an outstanding opportunity to raise recovery issues and combat stigma.
This past week, Vice President Biden passionately declared his pride in his son for overcoming his challenges with substance use disorders- reflecting first-hand the millions of American families who are navigating their lives through the current addiction epidemic. It is important and necessary to have our leaders at all levels, from town halls to state capitols, use their voice to promote progress and compassion.
Stigma kills. The words we use matter. It is up to us, and those in our community, to help those running for office understand the significance of substance use disorders and ensure their support in the wide range of recovery efforts across America.
Learn more about what you can do to make Recovery Voices Count using our civic engagement toolkit on our website.
https://facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/rvc/
As a non-partisan organization, this post is not intended to support any candidate. We do, however, support and encourage, person-centered, Recovery-friendly language.
September is designated as Recovery Month. Recovery Month promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental and substance use disorders. It celebrates the millions of people as they live in the joy and reality of recovery. I have participated in rallies and events primarily in Denver, Colorado since 2002. In 2018, Advocates for Recovery-Colorado, was the host to the national hub event. Country-wide, these events provide the opportunity to announce the birth and carry the message of Faces & Voices of Recovery. Making history year by year, recovery from addiction is now a growing national and international recovery advocacy movement.
I now live in Orange County, California, I recently participated in an event named Recovery Happens originating in California’s capitol. Three well-known names were among sponsors. Faces & Voices of Recovery, Young People in Recovery, and The Phoenix. It is usually held on the Capitol steps, but as is today’s normal, it was virtual instead. I’m a fan of the virtual technology. Unfortunately, it does not have the value of human togetherness and fellowship. We are involved in a Zoom Room Boom. It does allow an important factor. To achieve and maintain connections. I am currently participating in a Peer Coach Training with Peer Coach Academy in Colorado. SAMSHA’s theme banner says: Join the Voices of Recovery: Celebrate Connections. We are virtually connected in so many ways—apart but together. We are getting good at it. The definition of virtuosity is to have a skill and expertise as we see in virtual activities. I think it leads one to a new word —virtualocity.
I find worthy of repeating what I wrote in a recent blog. In the real and virtual world, I make my bed, shower, and dress presentably for viewing and being viewed. No travel involved. Bed and board are at hand. Check the “set”, settle in my comfortable chair, and put my best face forward. The virtual world has merit through selective learning and social sensibility. If you are not earning, you can be learning. It will be of benefit to the establishment of health and well-being and even might allow being better than well.
Recovery Community Organizations are being formed at a growing rate with knowledge that the pandemic will put new burdens on the community from increased mental health and substance use disorders. Communities need resources, information, and leadership. I recently read this, “By repairing past and current harms in our communities, we bring new possibility to the future.” We have a role to play.
In a recent Bill White and Bill Stauffer paper, Nothing About Us Without Us, I noted the following: People with personal knowledge of the recovery process and the historical challenges faced by people seeking and in recovery free of conflicted interests are the best suited for recovery advocacy leadership. Guidelines: 1) Members of recovery communities are provided a voice in the selection of persons who represent their experience and needs. 2) Those representing the recovery experience at public and policy levels possess rich experiential knowledge of personal and/or family recovery from addiction. 3) Persons representing the experiences and needs of people seeking and/in recovery are free from ideology, political, or financial conflicts of interest that could unduly influence their advocacy efforts. This paper is an important. Read this and another, Recovery Advocacy For a Country is Crisis.
We recently formed the first RCO in Orange County, The Purpose of Recovery. Our primary purpose is to promote and perpetuate connections, resources, and a collective purpose for providers of recovery support services in Orange County. It was established with support and guidance with connection to other RCOs in northern California, Texas, Georgia, and Colorado. All members of Faces & Voices of Recovery’s ARCO, the Association of Recovery Community Organizations. ARCO links RCOs and their leaders with local and national allies and provides training and technical assistance to groups. ARCO helps build the unified voice of the organized recovery community and fulfill support the development of new groups and strengthening existing ones. The 2020 National Recovery Month theme is Celebrating Connections. A great purpose to be served during Recovery Month. Together We Are Stronger.