As a first step to documenting the benefits of recovery to the individual and to the nation, Faces & Voices of Recovery (Faces & Voices) conducted the first nationwide survey of persons in recovery from alcohol and other drug problems. The survey was developed, conducted, and analyzed in collaboration with Alexandre Laudet, Ph.D., Director of…

Since its founding in the mid-twentieth century, Narcotics Anonymous (NA) has emerged as a major addiction recovery support resource, with more than 71,000 weekly NA meetings in 144 countries. But what is known about the effects of NA participation from the standpoint of science? To answer that question, Marc Galanter, Keith Humphreys, John Kelly, and…

Infographic designed to assist with advocacy efforts to fund and sustain recovery support services. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Heroin Anonymous Alcoholics Anonymous Al-Anon Do you have additional information to add? Please contact us. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Sociological work on social capital and its impact on health behaviours have been translated into the addiction field in the form of ‘recovery capital’ as the construct for assessing individual progress on a recovery journey. Yet there has been little attempt to quantify recovery capital. The aim of the project was to create a scale…

The research undertaken by Transforming Youth Recovery for the 2017 Census and Definitions for Recovery Support in Higher Education includes activities intended to update definitions and descriptions for the services and resources that directly support students in recovery at institutions of higher education. A census was undertaken to ascertain the number of institutions offering services…

The Recovery Voices Count campaign is part of Faces & Voices ongoing work to build a powerful recovery advocacy movement by supporting nonpartisan civic engagement in local, state, and national elections. The goal is simple: to support recovery community organizations and their communities in developing and sustaining a constituency of consequence – an organized voice…

The Strategy provides the strategic direction necessary for the Federal government to build a stronger, healthier, drug-free society today and in the years to come by drastically reducing the number of Americans losing their lives to drug addiction. The overarching goal of the Strategy is to save lives by engaging in a comprehensive approach that…

Take action! Support our policy agenda Investing in recovery support services will reap the economic benefits of long-term recovery, reduce the burden on the criminal justice and child welfare systems, and get people the housing, employment and educational services they need. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

These assets reflect the potential college specific people, places, and groups that can be assembled into practices to help students in recovery thrive in the fullness of the college experience. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Federal officials have tentatively identified the potential source of recently reported vaping-related respiratory illnesses and deaths. The culprit appears to be vitamin E acetate, a substance long used as a nutritional supplement and topical skin treatment but whose oily consistency may make it quite toxic when inhaled via vaping. While these findings are preliminary and…

Across the United States, criminal justice systems are managing record numbers of people with rates of substance use and mental health disorders that are exponentially higher than those of the general public. In recent years, a confluence of factors has created fertile ground for broad-based improvements to criminal justice policy and practice, including overburdened courts,…

Drug overdose is now the leading cause of injury death in the United States. Most overdose fatalities involve opioids, which include prescription medication, heroin, and illicit fentanyl. Current data reveal that the overdose crisis affects all demographic groups and that overdose rates are now rising most rapidly among African Americans. This publication provides a public…

In the last ten years, peer recovery support services (PRSS) – distinct from both clinical treatment and mutual aid supports – have become established in the continuum of care for people seeking, stabilizing, and sustaining recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. As these services have been conceived, defined, and developed, organizations have realized…

The Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery (CSAR) (a Center within the College of Human Sciences at Texas Tech University, TTU), has developed a comprehensive Collegiate Recovery Community (CRC). This community provides a model of support and relapse prevention for college students recovering from addictive behaviors—primarily alcohol/drug addiction. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Measurement of mental health recovery and service support of recovery is a rapidly growing field. The Evaluation Center@HSRI published a second volume of a compendium of recovery measures in 2005; two years later, new measures have emerged, and existing measures have been revised. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Presentation slides: a review of epidemiology of addiction, terminology in addiction, language and stigma. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Abstinence-based cultural and religious revitalization movements constitute vibrant responses to the rise of alcohol and other drug problems in communities of color. Such movements often inspire culturally nuanced approaches to addiction treatment and provide culturally legitimate pathways of long-term recovery. The spark that ignites such movements is often a charismatic, recovering individual who uses his…

Discusses the Role of NASADAD, Role of SSAs, Describes recovery landscape across States, Highlight some examples from states, and How to connect with your SSA. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

A Chronology of Founding Dates TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Addiction Recovery Peer Service Roles: Recovery Management in Health Reform synthesizes and integrates the insights, challenges and ideas generated at the July 1, 2010, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy and Faces & Voices of Recovery Roundtable on Peer Recovery Support Services. Local, state and federal officials are embracing a new orientation toward…

For decades, the United States has meticulously measured the prevalence of alcohol and other drug (AOD) use and related problems. The question of how many U.S. adults have resolved such problems has received far less attention until recently. In 2012, I reviewed published studies of clinical and community populations in the U.S. that reported rates of recovery…

A just-published review of the scientific literature on untreated remission from alcohol problems by Richard Mellor and colleagues offers insightful clues about the role of professional treatment and non-treatment resources in the resolution of alcohol problems. Here are some key findings and my take on their implications. Only a small subset of people with alcohol…

Community Catalyst is excited to announce the publication of a new health equity toolkit: Best Practices for White-Led Organizations to Promote Health Equity and Racial Justice in Health Advocacy. As a white-led organization, we are striving to align our work with existing health advocacy, organizing and community-building work already happening within communities, especially communities of…

Since 2010, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been committed to advancing the health and well-being of all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT)1 communities through significant and cross-departmental coordination. This sixth annual report of the HHS LGBT Policy Coordinating Committee (“Committee”) highlights some of the most noteworthy HHS accomplishments in…

Recovery celebrations are important for so many different reasons – they’re an opportunity to put a face and a voice on recovery and to advance our advocacy agenda. Faces & Voices believes that we should never bring an army of people together without asking them to fight for something meaningful. In 2007, as part of…

Long term, effective advocacy is built on positive, trusting, strategic relationships with elected officials and their staff, the media and your own constituents. These tips specifically relate to building relationships with elected officials and their staff. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

There are tens of thousands of men and women across our country just like you who want to speak out about their recovery experiences while honoring the principles that have worked so well for so many. This pamphlet answers questions that people who want to speak out are asking as they think about how to…

This guide explains how people in MAT, their treatment programs, and advocates can fight for their right to get in or stay in the treatment they need.People receiving medication-assisted treatment (“MAT”) for opioid addiction often are forced by courts and other government agencies to stop taking their addiction medication. A judge or probation officer might…

People receiving medication-assisted treatment (“MAT”) for opioid addiction often are forced by courts and other government agencies to stop taking their addiction medication. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This brief reviews the steps an agency might take in preparation for beginning a parent-to-parent program and hiring Parent Support Providers. As part of the steps, the agency readiness includes developing a structure for the on-going support, supervision and evaluation of the program. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The undersigned organizations are writing to share our views on the most recent version of the American Health Care Act (AHCA). We are very concerned that the AHCA’s proposed changes to our health care system will result in reductions in health care coverage, particularly for vulnerable populations including those suffering from substance use disorders and…

Since the formation of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) in 1935, and the modern addictions recovery movement, the support of peers has been recognized as an essential part of recovery. As the recovery movement evolved, the role and the competencies of peer providers have been further defined. To some, however, the involvement of peers has not been…

As my long-time readers are aware, I occasionally take breaks from blogging. That time has arrived again.  I encourage you to read any blogs you may have missed in this series. Below is a listing and links to recovery blogs that have been posted to date at www.williamwhitepapers.com.  Thanks to each of you who have…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

In the midst of the present coronavirus pandemic, one hears regular reports of people who exhibit no symptoms of COVID-19, but who are capable of spreading the coronavirus infection to others. Asymptomatic (presymptomatic) carriers pose a major obstacle to public health responses to COVID-19—an obstacle underscoring the need for mass testing, tracking, isolation of virus…

Bergman, Ashford, & Kelly, 2019 (Opioid Medication Attitudes) TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Criminal justice and child welfare agencies sometimes require people to stop taking prescribed medication to treat opioid addiction. Often, they do this because they misunderstand the nature of opioid addiction and its effective treatment. The consequences can be devastating, including relapse, overdose, and increased risk of communicable disease. This guide provides answers to frequently asked…

Criminal justice and child welfare agencies sometimes require people to stop taking prescribed medication to treat opioid addiction. Often, they do this because they misunderstand the nature of opioid addiction and its effective treatment. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This resource guide documents the states, the District of Columbia, and the over 150 cities and counties that have taken steps to remove barriers to employment for qualified workers with records. A chart summarizing all the policies appears at the end of this guide. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Family run organizations across the country are lead providers of family and youth peer support services. Most are grassroots organizations developed and run by the parents and caregivers of children, youth, and young adults affected by serious emotional, behavioral, and mental health challenges. The mission of most family run organizations includes family support, education, public…

This kit discusses the consequences of substance misuse among college students including the misuse of prescription and over-the-counter drugs. It explores various causational factors such as peer pressure, stress, social norms, and advertising messages TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Oppression involves objectification and rendering the targeted person or group as the ‘other.” That distinctive “otherness” is then conveyed in caricatured images that feed stigma, social exclusion, and, in its most extreme form, genocide. The first task of the social reformer is to illuminate the humanity of those objectified and break down barriers between “they”…

The wisdom side of enlightenment includes a detailed understanding of the workings of the mind, as well as practices to help move towards enlightenment. Over the last twenty years, the value of elements of this for the treatment of addiction, have begun to be explored in the West. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This instrument constitutes the Bylaws of Minnesota recovery connection, a Minnesota nonprofit corporation, adopted for the purpose of regulating and managing the internal affairs of the corporation. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

I can now add shaking to the mix. Earth— be still. My family and I have returned to California after more than 20 years in Colorado. We returned to familiar surroundings in Southern California.  It also is where I began my journey on the road to long-term recovery. It continued successfully through almost 20 years in…

The Legal Action Center recently developed and circulated the attached principles on the continuing importance of the federal regulation for the confidentiality of substance use disorder patient records, 42 C.F.R. Part 2 (“Part 2”), in protecting the privacy of individuals in substance use disorder treatment. This regulation is particularly crucial in guarding against criminal prosecution,…

The Recovery Resource Hub is a project of Capacitype & Transforming Youth Recovery dedicated to ending the addiction crisis in our country by providing quick and easy access to information that can transform a struggling life into a thriving life. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

What does this law provide? The act provides a means of intervening with someone who is unable to recognize his or her need for treatment due to their impairment. This law will allow parents, relatives and/or friends to petition the court for treatment on behalf of the substance abuse-impaired person. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The mission of CMS’s Opioid Misuse Strategy is to impact the national opioid misuse epidemic by combating non-medical use of prescription opioids, opioid use disorder, and overdose through the promotion of safe and appropriate opioid utilization, improved access to treatment for opioid use disorders, and evidence-based practices for acute and chronic pain management. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This document draws attention to terminology that may cause confusion or perpetuate stigma around substance use disorders. It is not intended to serve as a glossary of clinical terminology, nor does it offer a comprehensive list of all the potentially stigmatizing words used in association with substance use disorders. In addition, while this document aims…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Alcoholism and other drug addiction have genetic and environmental causes. Both have serious consequences for children who live in homes where parents are involved. More than 28 million Americans are children of alcoholics; nearly 11 million are under the age of 18. This figure is magnified by the countless number of others who are affected…

The purpose of this letter is to provide guidance to States interested in peer support services under the Medicaid program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) recognizes that the mental health field has seen a big shift in the paradigm of care over the last few years. Now, more than ever, there is…

As States develop behavioral health models of care under the Medicaid program, they have the option to offer peer support services as a component of a comprehensive mental health and substance use service delivery system. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

There has been dramatic growth in the development of collegiate recovery programs and communities (CRPs) over the last five years (Laudet, Harris, Kimball, Winter, & Moberg, 2014). The rapid growth in CRP development has made it difficult to identify consistent guidelines for what constitutes an established CRP, as opposed to an emerging collegiate recovery program…

This knowledge can help refine treatment and recovery support services. Capitalizing on a national study of persons in recovery (N = 3,208) we compare addiction and recovery experiences among veterans (N = 481) and non veterans. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is issuing this final rule to update and modernize the Confidentiality of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Patient Records regulations and facilitate information exchange within new health care models while addressing the legitimate privacy concerns of patients seeking treatment for a substance use disorder. These modifications also help…

Language frames what the public thinks about substance use and recovery, and it can also affect how individuals think about themselves and their own ability to change. But most importantly, language intentionally and unintentionally propagates stigma: the mark of dishonor, disgrace, and difference that depersonalizes people, depriving them of individual or personal qualities and personal…

The Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) envisions a world where the power, hope and healing of recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction is thoroughly understood and embraced. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Coalition for Whole Health stands ready to work with members of Congress and the Administration to preserve the important progress made in recent years, as well as to expand the effort to ensure lifesaving treatments, services and medications are available to those in need. Effective MH and SUD prevention, treatment services and medications, rehabilitation,…

The purpose of this Consumer Guide to Medication-Assisted Recovery is to educate the “consumer”— anyone considering medications to aid their addiction recovery, and anyone who has reservations or questions about this option. A well informed person can make wise decisions about their recovery. We know that people who suffer from the disease of addiction needThe…

The Center for Medicaid Services in its 2007 letter to states indicates that “Peer support services are an evidence-based mental health model of care which consists of a qualified peer support provider who assists individuals with their recovery from mental illness and substance use disorders.” CMS recognizes that the experiences of peer support providers, as…

People in addiction recovery possess multiple vulnerabilities as they face the personal challenges of the novel coronavirus pandemic. Compared to the general population, they are older and have higher rates of co-occurring health conditions. Those in early recovery may have limited capacities for coping with the emotional, relational, and financial distress imposed by the pandemic….

Health and psychosocial risks associated with COVID-19 fall disproportionately on historically marginalized populations. I recently reviewed published studies on preliminary findings related to COVID-19 among people experiencing or recovering from substance use disorders (SUD).  Major findings from this review are summarized below. *The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with an increase in substance use, SUD prevalence,…

This document is a companion to Faces & Voices Policy Position Paper on Criminal Justice Recovery Advocacy. It describes ways that recovery community organizations and recovery advocates can partner with allies at the local, state and federal levels to advocate for criminal justice policy reform. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This handbook is a companion to a website for the electronic decision support tool: Decisions in Recovery: Treatment for Opioid Use Disorder. Visit https://www.samhsa.gov/ for more information, videos of people talking about their experience with medication-assisted treatment, and links to resources. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Are you finding it difficult to stop using? If you’ve thought about cutting down or cutting out narcotics, prescription pain medications, heroin, or other opioid drugs, this tool can help. You can also link to videos of real people talking about their lived experiences with many of the topics covered. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

  TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

A ROSC is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that is person-centered and builds on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families, and communities to achieve abstinence and improved health, wellness, and quality of life for those with or at risk of alcohol or drug problems. (CSAT) TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The ability to act in your own interests follows on from self-acceptance and confidence. As we shall see, it is also important to take into account the interests of others. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Bergman, Kelly, Hoeppner, Vilsaint, & Kelly, 2017 (Digital Recovery) TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Michael Galipeau recently shared with me his experience of being denied access to disaster relief for his business due to past drug offenses during his addiction years. I encouraged Michael to write an essay on his experience as it reflected what I had heard from others in long-term recovery whose businesses have been disrupted by…

Fast Track Action Committee on Health Science and Technology, October 2018 TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup.—Suzanne McMinn For more than two centuries, autobiographical accounts of addiction and recovery have portrayed the enormous struggle for self-preservation within both experiences. This struggle is sometimes characterized as an internal battle between twin sides of the self—a Dr….

Individuals who take methadone or buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone) for opioid addiction under a doctor’s supervision are sometimes arrested and charged with “driving under the influence” (DUI) merely because they take these medications. Is that legal? TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Individuals who take methadone or buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone) for opioid addiction under a doctor’s supervision are sometimes arrested and charged with “driving under the influence” (DUI) merely because they take these medications. Is that legal? TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Deaths from drug overdose are an increasing public health burden in the United States. This report uses the most recent data from the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) to update trends in drug overdose deaths, describe demographic and geographic patterns, and identify shifts in the types of drugs involved. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

For much of the past century, scientists studying drugs and drug use labored in the shadows of powerful myths and misconceptions about the nature of addiction. When scientists began to study addictive behavior in the 1930s, people addicted to drugs were thought to be morally flawed and lacking in willpower. Those views shaped society’s responses…

Social anxiety/phobia, often mischaracterized as extreme shyness, constitutes a potential pathway into addiction and a major obstacle to addiction treatment and recovery. Robert and Kaisha could not be more different at a quick glance, but they shared the curse of what others perceived as extreme shyness. Robert and Kaisha dreaded any social situation filled with…

Parent Support Providers offer parents the necessary support to maintain hope and positive use of formal services and natural community-based support. Parent Support Providers share a history of similar experiences with their own child or youth or emerging adults and they know about practical possible solutions. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The EOE Model and approach focuses on building capacity by empowering the people of the organization to understand what is necessary to achieve sustainability, and to coach and guide them to pursue it. The primary interface technique is on-site coaching and role-modeling; however, not every organization requires the same level of engagement and assistance. TweetShareSharePin0…

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) funds grant projects under the Recovery Community Services Program (RCSP). In Federal Fiscal Year 2005, 28 local projects across the country received funding. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Peer support is an evidenced based practice that is an important workforce component in behavioral health care. Although peer services have been around for many years, Georgia was the first state to implement peer services as a Medicaid billable service in 1999, and as of July 1, 2014, 32 states plus Washington, D.C., also allow…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The purpose of this toolkit is to provide advocates with the materials they need to advocate with state officials responsible for health plan certifications, licensing, and oversight. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This report provides a brief background summarizing the status of the concept of recovery in the addictions field and describes the approach used to identify and to select recovery measures. A summary of findings and recommendations are offered as closing statements. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Through the Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) project, SAMHSA convened an expert panel on September 25 – 26, 2012. The goal was, to learn more about the needs of behavioral health systems and authorities as they strive to promote and support the role of the family in assisting a…

In a departure from traditional mental health services, today peer specialists and recovery coaches play essential roles in a wide range of service environments. While their job descriptions are largely dependent on the setting in which they are employed (e.g., state hospitals, community behavioral health centers, peer-run recovery centers), their approach entails a fresh, more…

Harvard-trained historian Ernest Kurtz loved stories. The power of story and the role of storytelling in personal identity and addiction recovery filled his writings on Alcoholics Anonymous (A.A.), and they were central themes in the books he co-authored with Katherine Ketcham: The Spirituality of Imperfection and Experiencing Spirituality. I apprenticed under Ernie’s guidance for more than two decades in…

The twin purposes of this article are 1) to draw upon the collective experience of organizations that are providing peer-based recovery support services to identify ethical issues arising within this service arena, and 2) to offer guidance on how these issues can best be handled. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Peer recovery support service (PRSS) programs require an ethical framework for service delivery. In most cases, simply “importing” a professional code of ethics is not effective. There is a difference between the professional-client relationship and the relationship of the peer leader and the peer being served that warrants an ethical framework specifically tailored to PRSS….

Service provision by peer support workers (PSWs) is growing within the US behavioral health care system and research is needed to determine appropriate training and support. This study examined responses of 15 PSWs and 20 licensed behavioral health practitioners (BHPs) who participated in a one-day training of seeking safety (SS). PSWs and BHPs provided post-training…

Readers can use this document as a general reference for evidence-based practices that have been successfully implemented in the U.S. and are effective in reducing rates of opioid overdose. This document also provides readers with straightforward explanations of how and why these strategies work, summaries of major research on these topics, and examples of organizations…

Among the populations of people who use drugs, pregnant women face some of the most severe health and social consequences. Pregnant women who use criminalized drugs are routinely subjected to dehumanizing stigma, insufficient access to evidence-based treatment, and ineffective punitive responses. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This Surgeon General’s Report has been created because of the important health and social problems associated with alcohol and drug misuse in America. As described in this Report, a comprehensive approach is needed to address substanceuse problems in the United States. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The United States has a serious substance misuse problem. Substance misuse is the use of alcohol or drugs in a manner, situation, amount, or frequency that could cause harm to the user or to those around them. Alcohol and drug misuse and related substance use disorders affect millions of Americans and impose enormous costs on…

The Problem of Substance Abuse Substance abuse is America’s number one health problem—a problem that touches the life of every American child, family, congregation and community. Contrary to popular perception, America’s substance abuse problem results not only from illegal drugs like crack cocaine, but also from the “recreational” use of so-called “soft” drugs, like marijuana,…

The FOR-NY Family to Family Recovery Resource Guide was created in response to requests for help from families across New York State struggling with addiction. It has been designed to assist and support families as they navigate their way from active addiction to Recovery. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

In May 2018, the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) stood up a Rural Opioid Federal Interagency Working Group to help address the opioid crisis by improving coordination of and reducing potential overlap among the Federal responses in the Nation’s rural communities. The IWG is co-chaired by ONDCP and USDA. This document is the…

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs) are a group of conditions that can occur in a person whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy. These effects can include physical problems and problems with behavior and learning. Often, a person with an FASD has a mix of these problems. What can I do if I think my child…

The primary goal of the President’s Commission on Combating Drug Addiction and the Opioid Crisis is to develop an effective set of recommendations for the President to combat the opioid crisis and drug addiction in our nation. Many of the recommendations that follow will require appropriations from Congress into the Public Health Emergency Fund, for…

For many individuals with substance use conditions and their families, the provision of recovery support services (RSS) is critical to achieving a greater quality of life. Yet, RSS are often insufficiently funded throughout the prevention, treatment, and recovery continuum of care largely due to funding constraints and a lack of information about alternative funding options….

This fact sheet serves as a guide for individuals seeking behavioral health treatment. It provides three necessary steps to complete prior to utilizing a treatment center and the five signs of a quality treatment center, which include a review of the accreditation, medication, evidence-based practices, position on the role of families, and support networks. TweetShareSharePin0…

In this paper, we explore the use of mental health peer support services as one way to support recovery, improve continuity of care, and reduce recidivism for inmates with mental illness during the re-entry process. We present a successful peer support re-entry program model, established in Pennsylvania, and offer preliminary suggestions for a Texas pilot…

This report highlights the structure, responsibilities, policies, services, and financing of single-state agencies and state mental health agencies. The report includes discussion of efforts to integrate physical and behavioral health and efforts by state agencies to address opioid abuse and misuse. Inventory#: SMA17-5029 TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Adolescents and young adults are in a critical window of vulnerability to substance use disorders. Risk-taking behaviors like experimentation with drugs and alcohol are common among young people, and early substance use increases the likelihood of developing an addiction later in life. With drug overdose deaths in the United States at an all-time high, it…

I believe we live in the greatest era of snake oil salesmen in the history of mankind. —Michael Crichton, Next, 2006 The addictions treatment field has grossly oversold the effectiveness of a single episode of brief clinical intervention. For more than two decades, calls have increased for a radical redesign of addiction treatment and related recovery support…

The iconic image that pervades pharmacotherapy of opioid addiction is a shadowed face drinking a pale liquid from a plastic medicine cup. The image of a faceless, voiceless person is apt as the historical stigma attached to the use of medications in the treatment of opioid use disorder is so great that few have braved…

Thank you for your leadership in Congress on treatment and recovery programs for individuals and families struggling with substance use disorders. As Congress begins to work on appropriations for FY 2018, we wanted to weigh in and express support for several federal programs that have a tremendous impact on those we serve TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

PEER SUPPORT presents a unique opportunity for health care planning and management. Clear evidence shows concrete benefits for individuals and systems, including cost-effectiveness. As an important humanizing force in health care, it changes the way we look at health. To bring peer support to diverse populations and settings, the key functions provide a framework for…

This fact sheet (4 of 4) addresses the care of women with opioid use disorder (OUD) and care of their babies after pregnancy. This resource includes information on managing OUD, caring for baby, and do’s and don’ts for creating a healthy environment at home. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Opioids continue to fuel the worst drug overdose epidemic in our nation’s history, claiming the lives of 115 individuals every day and devastating families and communities across the country.1 Governors have been leading the fight against this deadly epidemic, working across all levels of government as well as with families, health care providers and others…

This guide is meant to assist States in creating their own, State‐specific, treatment standards for women with SUDs.  For each element, NASADAD has summarized the existing State standards and selected other resources pertaining to the service element. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Providing overdose prevention, recognition, and response education to drug users and their neighbors, friends, families, and the service providers who work with them is a harm reduction intervention that saves lives. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This guide was produced to coincide with the first UK Network Event for Recovery Community Development and Recovery Cafes, which took place in Edinburgh thanks to the sponsorship of the Scottish Drugs Recovery Consortium. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

He who shows himself at every place will someday look for a place to hide. –African Proverb Earlier blogs in this series explored the benefits and limitations of public recovery disclosure, the potential risks to multiple parties involved in such disclosure, and the ethics of recovery disclosure. In this final blog in the series, we…

The introduction provides an overview of the background on peer support and outlines the purpose and preparation of the Guidelines. The document is comprised of two sets of guidelines. Part 1, Guidelines for the Practice of Peer Support, provides an overview of the elements for the practice of peer support, along with the guiding values,…

As one key recovery support, access to quality recovery housing can make or break a person’s likelihood of long-term success. Specific to opioid use disorders, recovery residence operators need guidance to implement cultural and operational changes that support medication-assisted recovery. While different levels of recovery residences have varying structures, staffing, services, and supports, the information…

It is all that we are: history, memory. –Walter Mosely, from John Woman I have been thinking a good deal more than usual about the history of addiction recovery in the United States. Such ruminations are a reflection of my stage of life, but they have also been stirred by recent events, including the recent…

Addiction is a complex disease and there are many factors that contribute to a person’s overall level of risk. There are some risk factors for addiction that we cannot change—genetics, for example—but there are other critical ones—like delaying the age of first use and limiting access to substances—that we can impact. This toolkit translates the…

The RECOVER Project is a peer-to-peer recovery support program located in Franklin County, Massachusetts. We are a part of SAMHSA’s Recovery Community Support Program (RCSP), which funds 30 sites across the US. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Unused or expired prescription medications are a public safety issue. The Drug Enforcement Administration provides guidance on the right way to dispose of unused medicine. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Identifying mental health and substance use problems of children and adolescents: A guide for child-serving organizations (HHS Publication No. SMA 12-4670). Rockville, MD: Author. This guide was created to promote the early identification of children and adolescents with mental health and substance use problems as well as to provide guidance, tools, and resources for early…

Drug treatment court (DTC) is a diversion program for individuals with drug-related crimes. However, the DTC literature is conflicting with regard to substance use and recidivism outcomes. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Language matters. It’s a phrase often spoken among recovery advocates, and generally refers to shifting the way we speak about addiction and recovery so that we reduce the stigma surrounding substance use disorders. There is evidence behind the movement, with one study noting that even mental health professionals were more likely to favor punitive over…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Increasing understanding of the pathways and processes of recovery from cannabis use disorder may help in designing effective and attractive interventions to promote recovery. We report insights from individuals who had successfully recovered from cannabis use disorder with a variety of pathways. Recovered individuals describe their perceptions of why they developed the problem, why they…

NOTE: This is a 90-minute introduction video only.  The complete 3 day training is available to be delivered to your organization either virtually or on-site through the National Recovery Institute.  For training inquiries contact nri@facesandvoicesofrecovery.org. Topics covered: – The history, benefits & types of Virtual Recovery Support Services (VRSS) – The current environment – Ethical…

This document will first provide a summary of the most common involuntary commitment provisions across the nation followed by a series of charts with detailed information on each state’s laws. Please note that the focus of this memorandum is on civil commitment rather than on commitment of individuals with criminal charges who are ordered to…

This document will first provide a summary of the most common involuntary commitment provisions across the nation followed by a series of charts with detailed information on each state’s laws. Please note that the focus of this memorandum is on civil commitment rather than on commitment of individuals with criminal charges who are ordered to…

According to nationally representative surveys, approximately 23 million Americans aged 12 or older meet diagnostic criteria for a past-year DSM-IV diagnosis of substance abuse or dependence (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2008). Substance-related conditions confer a massive burden of disease, huge social costs,and a financial impact which far exceeds that of highly…

For more than 150 years, support for the personal resolution of severe and persistent alcohol and other drug problems in the United States has been provided through three mechanisms: family, kinship, and informal social networks; peer-based recovery mutual-aid societies; and professionally directed addiction treatment. This article: (1) briefly reviews the history of these traditional recovery…

In the nonprofit world, lobbying can sometimes be a dirty word. But did you know that as a 501(c)3, you can lobby? There are some restrictions, as outlined below, but here’s a chance to bolster your advocacy efforts and make an impact with decision makers on Capital Hill. Let’s be clear before you read any…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The kit contains information and skills that can help protect the emotional survival of a child dealing with parental addiction. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This brochure explains the Federal laws that prohibit discrimination against individuals with disabilities and how they protect people receiving Medication-Assisted Treatment for opioid addiction (also known as “MAT”). MAT includes a medication (e.g., methadone, buprenorphine, oral naltrexone) approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for opioid addiction detoxification or maintenance treatment. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

There is now a law that protects your mental health and substance use disorder benefits. Read more about these protections here. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The way we communicate about addiction, its treatment, and treatment outcomes matters to individuals affected by addiction, their families, and communities. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The use of affirming language inspires hope and advances recovery.The ATTC Network uses affirming language to promote the promises of recovery by advancing evidence-based and culturally informed practices. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Displays current terminology and alternative terminology. The most respectful way of referring to people is as people. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Each dimension of wellness can affect overall quality of life. Through its Wellness Initiative, SAMHSA encourages individuals, organizations, and communities to work toward longer, healthier, and happier lives, particularly among people living with behavioral health conditions TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

For participants of the current recovery advocacy movement, there is much to learn from previous social movements. Lessons of considerable import can be gleaned from the movements that intersected in the 1960s, including the civil rights movement, the black power movement, the new left and anti-war movements, the women’s movement, and the gay liberation movement….

This report examines the prevalence of opiate addiction in the criminal justice system, its devastating consequences, and the widespread denial of access to one of its most effective forms of treatment: medication assisted treatment (“MAT”). The report then analyzes the circumstances in which the denial of MAT violates Federal anti-discrimination laws and the United States…

This report examines the prevalence of opiate addiction in the criminal justice system, its devastating consequences, and the widespread denial of access to one of its most effective forms of treatment: medication assisted treatment (“MAT”). The report then analyzes the circumstances in which the denial of MAT violates Federal anti-discrimination laws and the United States…

This report examines the prevalence of opiate addiction in the criminal justice system, its devastating consequences, and the widespread denial of access to one of its most effective forms of treatment: medication assisted treatment (“MAT”). The report then analyzes the circumstances in which the denial of MAT violates Federal anti-discrimination laws and the United States…

“As you develop a market stabilization framework, we respectfully ask that benefit protections for mental health and substance use disorder treatment and recovery support services through the exchanges and individual/small group markets be maintained and that those benefits be offered consistent with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act (MHPAEA).” TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Peer support services (PSS) are an expanding part of the continuum of care provided for behavioral health conditions. These services have been deemed an evidence based reimbursable model of care by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. States, counties, employers, and health plans are increasingly covering PSS in benefit plans. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Snapshot of findings TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The recovery coach program is an intensive, community-based case management program for people who have entered an addiction treatment program or have been screened for treatment, but have been placed on a waiting list. The program is designed as an integrated component of a comprehensive addiction treatment program. The primary purpose of the recovery coach…

In order for a person to be involuntarily committed for addiction treatment, it first has to be proven the person is addicted to drugs or alcohol. Typically, there must also be evidence that the individual has threatened, attempted, or inflicted physical harm on himself or another person, or proof that if the person is not…

Sustainable addiction recovery is determined in part by how social and community resources can be mobilized to support long-term identity change. Given the current growth in technology, we ask what the role of online social interactions is in supporting long-term identity change for people in recovery. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

In 2008, Granfield and Cloud defined recovery capital as “the sum total of one’s resources that can be brought to bear on the initiation and maintenance of substance use cessation.” These authors discussed the four component parts of recovery capital as social, human, physical and cultural. They also introduced the idea of “negative recovery capital”…

Clients served by case management teams with peer specialists demonstrated greater gains in several areas of quality of life and overall reduction in the number of major life problems experienced. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Mental illness is treatable and full recovery is possible. Mental Health Recovery is a process by which an individual can live a full and satisfying life. Individual recovery can be promoted when agencies and programs serving individuals with SMI adopt a recovery service culture. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The purpose is to provide the adult mental health field with research-and evaluation-based perspectives on the nature of recovery, to provide a resource of current recovery and recovery-related instruments for adult mental health system stakeholders to use in research and evaluation particularly towards the end of identifying evidence-based practices, and to provide stakeholders with a…

In an earlier blog posted in 2017, I offered some preliminary observations on mechanisms of change in recovery and the variation in such mechanisms across pathways of recovery, stages of recovery, clinical populations, and cultural contexts. A recent collaboration with Dr. Marc Galanter in designing a study to investigate such mechanisms of change among members of…

Eddie, Greene, White, & Kelly, 2019 (Medical Burden) TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Has an opioid addiction turned someone you care about into “somebody else”? Is there something that can be done to help your friend or loved one overcome this addiction? Medication-assisted treatment is one way to help those with opioid addiction recover their lives. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Despite overwhelming evidence of MAT’s benefits, many people view it negatively. As a result, they do not use MAT and sometimes prohibit it even when clinically appropriate. Following are common myths and facts about MAT. Relying on the facts will increase the chance that people will enter and sustain recovery. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This report is designed to help drug court practitioners understand medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction and to provide strategies for incorporating MAT into their practice. The report’s information about different MAT models can serve as a resource for courts that currently permit MAT as well as those considering it. Though based on the experience…

Is your teen or young adult addicted to opioids such as prescription painkillers or heroin? Medication-assisted treatment may be helpful for your child. this eBook will help you learn more about medication-assisted treatment – what it is, how it’s used, where to find it and how you can best support your child through treatment. TweetShareSharePin0…

Direct involvement of physicians and other health care professionals in identifying and treating alcohol use disorder is possible, practical, and necessary. The medications described here have been shown to be effective in, and are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for, the management of alcohol dependence or the prevention of relapse to alcohol…

Recovery is being used as a conceptual fulcrum for the redesign of addiction treatment and related support services in the United States. Efforts by policy, research, and clinical leaders to define recovery and calls for assertive models of long-term recovery management raise critical questions about how recovery-focused systems transformation efforts will affect the pharmacotherapeutic treatment…

This brief provides guidance to state governments on increasing the availability of evidence-based medication-assisted treatment (MAT) in criminal justice (CJ) settings. By including the criminal justice system as a path to treatment, states may see an increase in access to and retention in treatment, and lower rates of overdoses, re-offending, and re-incarcerations. In this brief,…

This report is designed to help drug court practitioners understand medication-assisted treatment (MAT) for opioid addiction and to provide strategies for incorporating MAT into their practice. The report’s information about different MAT models can serve as a resource for courts that currently permit MAT as well as those considering it. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Medications for opioid use disorder (OUD) save lives. Yet most people with OUD in the United States receive no treatment at all, and only a fraction of those who do receive medications for OUD. With support from the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the National Academies…

The following information will help provide a unified message about the range and types of recovery support services that could be included in the state’s application for funds. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Soon after the passage of Health Reform legislation, the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP) identified 10 aspects of federal health reform that states must get right if they are to be successful in implementation. States that adopt a coordinated, strategic approach to implementing federal health reform will find that the new law contains…

Recovery has always had a stronghold in the addiction profession and its workforce. The addiction profession, founded by individuals in recovery, laid the groundwork to provide addiction services within a recovery orientation. Through the Recovery to Practice (RTP) Initiative, NAADAC was asked to determine the extent to which recovery-oriented concepts, values, and practices exist within…

Addiction recovery mutual aid societies rise within unique historical contexts that can exert profound and prolonged effects on their character. Just as the birth of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is best understood in the context of the repeal of Prohibition and the challenges of the Great Depression, the history of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is best understood…

Addiction recovery mutual aid societies rise within unique historical contexts that can exert profound and prolonged effects on their character. Just as the birth of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) is best understood in the context of the repeal of Prohibition and the challenges of the Great Depression, the history of Narcotics Anonymous (NA) is best understood…

To ensure fidelity to the recovery community organization model, Faces & Voices of Recovery, RCOs across the nation, and stakeholders have identified the following as national best practices for recovery community organizations. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Substance abuse is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. Although civil commitment has been used to address substance abuse for more than a century, little is known today about the nature and use of substance-related commitment laws in the United States. We examined statutes between July 2010 and October 2012…

Although civil commitment has been used to address substance abuse for more than a century, little is known today about the nature and use of substance-related commitment laws in the United States. We examined statutes between July 2010 and October 2012 from all 50 states and the District of Columbia for provisions authorizing civil commitment…

Introduction (Bill White)  The international recovery advocacy (and peer recovery support) movement is marked by the proliferation of grassroots recovery community organizations that are distinct from traditional addiction treatment organizations and recovery mutual aid societies. As these new organizations emerge across geographical and cultural contexts, one of the critical needs is the creation of a…

This article: (1) briefly reviews the history of these traditional recovery supports, (2) describes the recent emergence of new recovery support institutions and a distinctive, all-inclusive culture of recovery, and (3) discusses the implications of these recent developments for the future of addiction treatment and recovery in the United States. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

With the loss of some recovery leaders from federal government, some advocates in the field are worried that their momentum will be lost (see ADAW, February 6). But interviews last week revealed that even without a website for the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) — something which has rattled advocates who want everything…

Letter to Teens: You have probably heard a lot about the “opioid overdose crisis” in the news lately. But what are opioids? And why are they such a problem? TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

On January 16, 2018, Governor Cuomo announced the following budget proposal: “A new surcharge of 2 cents per milligram of active opioid ingredient on prescription drugs, directing all proceeds to the Opioid Prevention, Treatment and Recovery Fund. This new fund will support on-going efforts to respond to the epidemic.” This policy briefing includes four sections:…

If you have an opioid use disorder (OUD) and are pregnant, you can take helpful steps now to ensure you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. During pregnancy, OUD should be treated with medicines, counseling, and recovery support. Good prenatal care is also very important. Ongoing contact between the healthcare professionals treating your…

Opioids are prescribed for pain relief; most recognizable are morphine, hydrocodone, oxycodone, and fentanyl. Opioids also include the illegal drug, heroin. Opioid use disorder (OUD) (to include prescription drugs and heroin) is the fastest growing substance use problem in the nation. During 2008-13, 4.7% of U.S. residents ages 12 and older reported using non-medical opioids…

State Targeted Response to the Opioid Crisis Grants (Opioid STR) are meant to supplement current opioid-related activities, increasing the ability of grantees to address the nation’s opioid crisis TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

One of the distinctive features of the recovery-focused behavioral health systems transformation process in the City of Philadelphia has been the concerted effort to shorten addiction careers and extend recovery careers through programs of assertive community outreach. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate such efforts through a description of the outreach services provided…

Approximately 80% of children served by child welfare agencies have parents who abuse or are dependent on alcohol or illicit drugs. Despite the devastating effects on children from living in substance abusing families, child protective service practitioners have limited options available to assist these families. The Parenting in Recovery program was created to address the…

The emergence of recovery as an organizing paradigm in the addictions field is spurring calls for the development of a national recovery research agenda. This article identifies research questions of great concern to parents in recovery, parents of recovering adolescents, addiction professionals, and recovery support specialists seeking to include parent-focused interventions within the treatment and…

Children of parents with substance use disorders are at risk for various adverse outcomes, and maladaptive parenting behaviors seem to be an important mediator of this risk. Although numerous research studies have highlighted the promise of parenting interventions in modifying parenting behavior, very little is known about the integration of parenting skills education and interventions…

In 2006, Ernie Kurtz and I collaborated on our first paper explicating multiple pathways and styles of addiction recovery. The article was later included in the first recovery management monograph and published in the International Journal of Self Help and Self Care. Included within the paper was a discussion of the variations in depth of…

Substance use in pregnancy is a growing health concern worldwide across socioeconomic segments of urban and rural communities.1-3 Substance use in pregnancy is difficult to estimate as it might not be recognized by health care providers or reported by women. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) and other peer programs are more productive as a recovery community and more supportive as a recovery space when they strive to meet folks where they’re at. Begin by creating an environment where participation is natural, enthusiastic, non-threatening — a culture where social roles within a community begin to emerge. We…

When Faces & Voices of Recovery was launched in 2001, our founding goal was to celebrate and honor recovery in all of its diversity. We believe that everyone has a right to recover from addiction to alcohol and other drugs and that there is no one path to recovery. Recovery from addiction to alcohol and…

The most exciting innovation in the field of addictions is happening right now—today. It is the process of replacing an acute care model with a chronic care model and we are right in the midst of it. Research shows that people who successfully manage their addiction as a chronic disease experience very real recovery. Based…

Headed by the Legal Action Center, more than 100 treatment and recovery organizations have joined a “Campaign to Protect Patient Privacy Rights,” focused on maintaining the confidentiality of substance use disorder (SUD) patients. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

On April 2, 2020, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) issued an interim final rule announcing the implementation of sections 1102 and 1106 of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act or the Act). The Paycheck Protection Program and loan forgiveness are intended to provide economic relief to small businesses nationwide adversely…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Peer support occurs when people with the same types of problems help each other. There are different kinds of peer support, including peer support groups, organizations, and providers. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Supervision is a key component in providing peer recovery support services and should be a relationship that nurtures growth, hones skills, and addresses opportunities for growth that support recovery support core competencies. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Peer Support Toolkit is an interactive PDF that presents key information in brief reads, yet preserves your opportunity to delve deeper into subject—as your time and interests dictate—with just a click. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

We welcome you to this, the sixth effort in our monograph series designed to explore in depth the theoretical and practical aspects of peer-based addiction recovery support services and recovery-oriented systems of care. Once again, we have had the benefit of William L. White’s expertise and passion in the conception and execution of this document….

A growing body of evidence suggests that peer-provided, recovery-oriented mental health services produce outcomes as good as and, in some cases superior to, services from non-peer professionals. As evidence continues to mount, the stage has been set for a co-ordinated, national peer workforce development and maintenance initiative. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

A growing body of evidence suggests that peer-provided, recovery-oriented mental health services produce outcomes as good as and, in some cases superior to, services from non-peer professionals. As evidence continues to mount, the stage has been set for a coordinated, national peer workforce development and maintenance initiative. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Of the 81 (87%) participants who returned for follow-up, the majority (n = 62, 77%) used at least one FTS, and of those, a majority found them to be useful and straightforward to use. Positive FTS results led some participants to alter their drug use behaviors, including discarding their drug supply, using with someone else, and keeping…

SAMHSA is building on the legacy of the RCSP network and has actively taken several steps to help sustain and expand PRSS models, and the overall recovery community. In 2012, SAMHSA conducted a needs assessment with current and former RCSP grantees, as well as key stakeholder interviews with administrators and officials in the addictions recovery…

Since publication of the second edition of Slaying the Dragon: The History of Addiction Treatment and Recovery in America, many people have expressed their appreciation of the photos included in the new edition. These images put flesh and blood on the lives and key events that make up the history of addiction recovery in the…

A central goal of public recovery self-disclosure is to challenge myths and misconceptions about addiction and recovery through the elements of our personal stories. Recovery advocates must avoid contributing to false narratives by having selective parts of our stories appropriated while ignoring the central recovery message. Addiction/treatment/recovery-related social stigma and its untoward consequences rests on…

Social media tools provide opportunities to advance dissemination and advocacy of peer support. However, peer support programs and organizations can benefit from understanding how to use these tools in order to produce intended impact. Coinciding with the recent launch of our new website (http://www.peersforprogress.org), Peers for Progress has also made a concerted effort to increase…

One in four children in the United States are exposed to alcoholism or drug addiction in the family. This means that in your apartment building, your neighborhood or among your children’s friends, one in four might be hiding their embarrassment, confusion, hurt or shame about what’s going on at home. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The language used to describe concepts, communities, and human beings is of the utmost importance. Stigmatizing and negative language used to describe individuals who use substances, have a substance use disorder, or are in recovery can have an impact on their physical and mental health. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Increasing numbers of teens are using prescription and over-the-counter medications to get high. Many parents and caregivers don’t know enough about this problem, and many teens don’t understand the dangers. Prescription for Disaster: How Teens Abuse Medicine is a guide that helps parents and caregivers understand and identify the medications teens are abusing. An invaluable…

The opioid crisis is worsening. Over 42,000 Americans died of an opioid overdose in 2016, and government and public health officials are scrambling to find effective ways to reverse this frightening trend. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

A recent study led by Dr. Roger Weiss provides optimism about recovery from prescription opioid addiction. Weiss and colleagues followed 375 patients admitted to buprenorphine-naloxone treatment with different intensities of counseling. Patients were formally evaluated at 18, 30, and 42 months following admission as part of the Prescription Opioid Addiction Treatment Study funded by the…

Tens of millions of Americans have successfully resolved an AOD problem using a variety of traditional and non-traditional means. Findings suggest a need for a broadening of the menu of self-change and community-based options that can facilitate and support long-term AOD problem resolution. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

“…it is argued that successful prevention is contingent on shifting resources from the criminal justice system to the health care system.” TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Drug addiction is a complex disorder that can involve virtually every aspect of an individual’s functioning—in the family, at work and school, and in the community. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

As both a concept and a movement, “recovery” is increasingly guiding substance use disorder (SUD) services and policy. One sign of this change is the emergence of recovery support services that attempt to help addicted individuals using a comprehensive continuing care model. This paper reviews the policy environment surrounding recovery support services, the needs to…

The Federal Trade Commission, in partnership with SAMHSA, has developed a new fact sheet to help those in need of treatment for opioid dependence or withdrawal. The new fact sheet, Getting the Right Help for Opioid Dependence or Withdrawal, provides information on how to obtain proper and safe help for the treatment of opioid dependence…

This past year has brought an important new resource for researchers and clinicians who wish to publish their work in the peer-reviewed, scientific journals that focus on addiction, addiction treatment or addiction- related social policy. The World Health Organization and the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors have given the addictions field the first definitive…

The Good News: More than 22 million Americans have resolved a significant alcohol or other drug problem during their lifetime The Problem: People in recovery from addiction continue to suffer inordinate rates of respiratory disease, kidney failure, heart disease, diabetes mellitus, hypertension, stroke, cancer, and premature death. (Eddie et al., 2019; White et al., 2013) The Solution:…

Some random thoughts excerpted from my journals during my recent blogging hiatus. On Weak Recovery Definitions: At its central core, addiction recovery is a radically altered relationship between an individual and the psychoactive drugs that once dominated their life. Any definition of recovery that does not reference a change in that relationship fails on multiple…

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Recovery Community Organization Toolkit TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)’s Journal of Addiction Medicine and other leading journals have encouraged the use of precise nonstigmatizing terminology. Furthermore, the International Society of Addiction Journal Editors (ISAJE) published a recommendation statement against the use of stigmatizing terms. The ASAM has published policy statements on the issue of terminology. The US…

Purpose: to help parents in recovery from chemical addiction balance the demands of both recovery and children, and offer suggestions on how to be a better parent in recovery. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The remaining days of 2020 will be difficult and contentious: a raging pandemic, economic aftershocks, social justice protests, and yet unseen global crises—all hyper-illuminated by the inflammatory rhetoric of political campaigns. What is the call to service for recovery advocates in such turbulent times? Yes, we should keep our eyes on the prize: easing the…

We might try to explain the phenomenon of the plague, but, above all, should learn what it had to teach us. –Albert Camus, The Plague (1948) The novel coronavirus pandemic will exert profound effects on the future of addiction treatment and recovery. Based on the pandemic’s anticipated reach, severity, and duration, we will likely witness the following in…

This study builds on our previous cross-sectional findings that recovery capital (social supports, spirituality, religiousness, life meaning, and 12-step affiliation) enhances the ability to cope with stress and enhances life satisfaction. This study (a) tests the hypothesis that higher levels of recovery capital prospectively predict sustained recovery, higher quality of life, and lower stress one…

Researchers tested the pathways to recovery for residents in the recovery housing population. The results have implications not only for retention as a predictor of sustained recovery and wellbeing but also for the importance of meaningful activities in promoting recovery capital and wellbeing. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Robert Granfield and William Cloud introduced and elaborated on the concept of “recovery capital” in a series of articles and a 1999 book, Coming Clean: Overcoming Addiction without Treatment. They define recovery capital as the volume of internal and external assets that can be brought to bear to initiate and sustain recovery from alcohol and…

Recovery capital: A primer for addictions professionals. Counselor, 9(5), 22-27. Addiction professionals across America are witnessing the field’s paradigmatic shift from a pathology and intervention focus to a recovery focus (White, 2004, 2005). One of the key ideas at the core of this shift is that of recovery capital. This article defines recovery capital and…

For more than a decade, I have regularly corresponded with Mr. Hossein Dezhakam (HD), founder of the Congress 60 recovery community within the Islamic Republic of Iran, on the subject of addiction recovery and the challenges faced by leaders of recovery community organizations (RCOs). A recent increase in questions posed to me about RCO leadership…

Addiction runs in families, but far less known is the fact that recovery also runs in families. Both of these phenomena have captured my attention in recent decades and been the focus of numerous articles. Scientific studies are unravelling the factors that combine to elevate risk of intergenerational transmission of addiction and related problems. These…

As recovery schools generate awareness, and more states and foundations consider funding such schools, exploratory research is needed to describe and explicate school models in order to inform replication and prepare for rigorous evaluation of the effectiveness of recovery schools. This paper provides initial results from an ongoing descriptive research project designed to begin evaluating…

I recently discovered a UK-based project that I found so exciting that I solicited the below blog to share with my readers. To me, the Well-Fed Social Supermarket signals a next stage in the evolution of recovery support services: programs that serve those seeking and in recovery while simultaneously benefiting the larger community. For generations,…

Until the lion learns how to write, every story will glorify the hunter. –African Proverb From Lin-Manuel Miranda, Hamilton: “Why do you write like you’re running out of time?” Me: “Because I am.” In the late 1990s, I experienced an epiphany of sorts—a sudden awareness that the addiction field had acquired a massive body of scientific…

This monograph contains a synthesis of findings from scientific studies and recommendations from new grassroots recovery advocacy and support organizations that are collectively pushing a fundamental redesign of addiction treatment in the United States. Based on growing evidence of the chronicity and complexity of severe substance use disorders, we are faced with an increasing need…

Substance use disorders and related conditions play significant roles in urban homelessness and its personal and social costs. Traditional addiction treatment programs have failed to attract, engage, retain, and effectively treat this population, leaving homeless persons excluded from addiction treatment or constituting a chronically recycling segment of the treatment population. This paper describes the design…

This engaging and dynamic two-day workshop will provide you with some key knowledge, skills and tools to help you lead and coach your peer support staff as well as the other members of your team. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The results reveal an adult recovery prevalence rate (9.4%) comparable to rates found in national surveys, but key measures of physical, emotional, and social health of adults in recovery suggest the need for assertive, sustained, and community-based approaches to recovery management that transcend brief episodes of professional intervention. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Addiction and the larger arena of alcohol and other drug (AOD) abuse and related problems exact an enormous toll on individuals, families, organizations, local neighborhoods, and whole communities in the United States. Although a great number of advances have been made in AOD treatment, far too few individuals who could benefit from treatment receive it,…

Something is reawakening inside America. People whose stigmatized condition left them hiding alone or cloistered in subterranean subcultures are stepping into the light to tell the stories of their wounds and their redemption. They are offering their time, talents, and testimonies to address alcohol and other drug-related problems in their local communities and in the…

Recovery support resources in rural and frontier areas: A call for research and action. As interest in Recovery Management and ROSC has grown, questions have arisen about how to design and implement these new models of care and support with particular populations and within particular geographical and cultural contexts. This brief paper explores some of…

Recovery Support Services Assessment Tool TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Enhance or support the provision of peer and other recovery support services designed to improve treatment access and retention and support long term recovery. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Recovery Voices Count campaign is part of Faces & Voices ongoing work to build a powerful recovery advocacy movement by supporting nonpartisan civic engagement in local, state, and national elections. The goal is simple: to support recovery community organizations and their communities in developing and sustaining a constituency of consequence – an organized voice…

This recovery monograph reviews the history and cultural context of methadone maintenance (MM) treatment in the United States, with an emphasis on the evolution of practices that directly influence long-term recovery outcomes. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Readers who have followed this blog series are aware of my sustained interest in the ecology of recovery, particularly the role of recovery space/landscapes within local communities, and the stages of long-term personal and family recovery. A just-published article by Lena Theodoropoulou in the International Journal of Drug Policy offers some intriguing insights into these topics. Below are notes…

There is something special about the number 90 in the worlds of addiction treatment and recovery. Recovery mutual aid groups extol the value of 90 meetings in 90 days as a foundation for long-term recovery. The National Institute on Drug Abuse Principles of Drug Addiction Treatment defines 90 days across levels of care as the threshold of…

In 2012, I authored a monograph reviewing the results of 415 studies published over more than a century that reported rates of addiction recovery. Major findings of that review included 5.3% to 15.3% (25-40 million adults) of the adult population who reported once having but no longer having an alcohol or other drug (AOD) problem—either…

Reducing Harm, Supporting Recovery emphasizes a health-led response to drug and alcohol use in Ireland, based on providing person-centered services that promote rehabilitation and recovery. A person-centered approach means giving people a say in their own treatment and supporting them to play a role in their own recovery. This approach also requires services to work…

Since its inception in the late 1990s, a central goal of the new recovery advocacy movement has been assuring the representation of recovering individuals and families in the decision-making venues that affect their lives. As this movement matured, the complexities of achieving such representation became increasingly apparent. Dynamics within and beyond communities of recovery can…

Since the late 1990s, I have advocated a radical redesign of addiction treatment—one that extends the prevailing acute care model of addiction treatment to one of sustained recovery management (RM) nested within larger recovery oriented systems of care (ROSC). (See HERE for a basic primer on RM & ROSC.). RM moves beyond providing brief episodes of biopsychosocial…

A great deal of literature exists in both the mental and substance use disorder fields about building, enhancing, and activating resilience in persons at risk for and with mental and/or substance use disorders. Many of the resilience studies that have been conducted have focused on children, adolescents, and young adults—populations that are greatly influenced by…

We know that the stigma associated with addiction, toward people with addictions and even toward people in addiction recovery, is a primary and long-lasting barrier to both recovery initiation and recovery sustainability. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Roadmap provides a comprehensive and detailed set of recommendations for improving our national drug and alcohol policies to improve health and public safety and save lives and resources. As we move into the 2016 election season, we hope this Roadmap will guide policymakers, thought leaders and campaigns in their decision-making and discussion of these…

The Roadmap provides a comprehensive and detailed set of recommendations for improving our national drug and alcohol policies to improve health and public safety and save lives and resources. As we move into the 2016 election season, we hope this Roadmap will guide policymakers, thought leaders and campaigns in their decision-making and discussion of these…

The Roadmap provides a comprehensive, detailed set of recommendations designed to accomplish three transformative goals. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

A Parent Support Provider (CPSP) is a person who has experience parenting a child with emotional, behavioral, developmental, substance use, or mental health challenges AND who has specialized training to assist other parents to understand children’s emotional health development and continuing wellness. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The TEP was convened by the National Council on Behavioral Health and the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Recovery Research Institute (RRI) on behalf of SAMHSA in order to create a forum for sharing existing scientific knowledge regarding recovery support services (RSS) in addressing substance use disorders in the United States (please see Attachment A for…

The SAMHSA Strategic Plan FY2019-FY2023 outlines five priority areas with goals and measurable objectives that provide a roadmap to carry out the vision and mission of SAMHSA over the next four years. The five priority areas are: 1. Combating the Opioid Crisis through the Expansion of Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Support Services 2. Addressing Serious…

SAMHSA’s BRSS TACS releases directory of peer recovery coaching training and certification programs The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) recently released their State-by-State Directory of Peer Recovery Coaching Training and Certification Programs. The directory provides detailed information about certification processes for peer…

The purpose of this paper is to provide background and context for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA’s) Expert Panel Members to discuss strategies for peer–run organizations and recovery community organizations (POs/RCOs) to build collaborations and relationships with local, county, and state-level governments. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This letter is a template to use when courts or other criminal justice agencies require people to stop using FDA-approved medications such as methadone, buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone), or injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol) to treat opioid addiction, against physician advice. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

This letter is a template to use when courts or other criminal justice agencies require people to stop using FDA-approved medications such as methadone, buprenorphine-naloxone (Suboxone), or injectable naltrexone (Vivitrol) to treat opioid addiction, against physician advice. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Never in U.S. history have there existed more choices of support for the resolution of alcohol and other drug (AOD) problems. Today, recovery support groups span secular, spiritual, and religious orientations, with meetings also organized by gender, age, sexual orientation, language preference, profession, and co-occurring conditions, to name just a few. Recent scientific studies and…

This guide can help you plan, organize, and make a digital story. It includes helpful, easy-to-use resources for each stage of the process. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Through the Recovery to Practice (RTP) Initiative, NAADAC was asked to determine the extent to which recovery-oriented concepts, values, and practices exist within all aspects of the addiction profession in order to develop a recovery-oriented training curriculum for the workforce. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The purpose of this paper is to enhance understanding of these new recovery support roles by comparing and contrasting these three service roles. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

“I have been invited as the historian of this movement to share some thoughts with you about the current state of recovery advocacy and support in the United States. In the few minutes we have together, I want to share some of my personal perspectives on our accomplishments to date, current and anticipated threats, and…

This brief presents state-level projections of U.S. supply and demand for behavioral health occupations in 2030, with 2016 data serving as baseline. These projections supplement the national projections presented in other briefs and fact sheets prepared by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA). The occupations modeled in this brief include psychiatrists, psychiatric nurse practitioners…

As an organized voice protecting the rights of individuals with substance use disorders, we are adamantly opposed to the dismantling of our critically important 42 CFR Part 2 confidentiality protections and we are opposed to the dismantling of the existing Public Health Law- which authorizes 42 CFR Part 2. We are opposed to the Overdose…

What Can Be Done To Fight Stigma? Know the facts.The majority of people who ever try any drug do not use them problematically and do not develop a physical dependence. People who struggle with drug dependence, however, should be afforded the same dignity, respect and support as a person who struggles with any difficult issue….

Addictions are commonly accompanied by a sense of shame or self-stigmatization. Self-stigmatization results from public stigmatization in a process leading to the internalization of the social opprobrium attaching to the negative stereotypes associated with addiction. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

According to the 2018 World Drug Report (1) of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), About 275 million people worldwide, which is roughly 5.6 per cent of the global population aged 15–64 years, used drugs at least once during 2016. Some 31 million of people who use drugs suffer from drug use disorders,…

In 2005, my colleagues Christy Scott, Michael Dennis, Michael Boyle, and I co-authored an article entitled It’s Time to Stop Kicking People out of Addiction Treatment. At that time, 18% (or 288,000) of people admitted to specialized addiction treatment in the U.S. were “administratively discharged” (“kicked out”) prior to treatment completion. Such expulsions most often resulted…

Substance Abuse Recovery in College explains in authoritative detail what collegiate recovery communities are, the types of services they provide, and their role in the context of campus life, with extended examples from Texas Tech University’s influential CSAR (Center for the Study of Addiction and Recovery) program. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Very little has been written about SUD (Substance Use Disorder) Peer Supervision Competencies. In remedy, this competency analysis is offered, using a series of investigative protocols, including: a systematic review of the literature, DACUM (Developing A Curriculum) workgroup, quantitative peer and supervisor validation survey, and a managerial and administrative validation review. This competency analysis is…

Presently, increased acceptance of SIFs as a result of Canada’s overdose crisis and political changes has led to the rapid escalation of efforts to expand SIFs across the country. Notwithstanding the importance of these developments, there remains a pressing need to amend federal legislation to better enable the scale-up of these services. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Supporting students in recovery on college campuses: Opportunities for student affairs professionals. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice, 48(1), 47–64 In this article, the authors draw on the best available research from the fields of addictions, public health, and education, as well as our professional experience to summarize what is known about students in…

In two earlier publications, the authors outlined the varieties of addiction recovery experience as represented in the scientific and historical literature (White & Kurtz, 2006a) and outlined strategies to link individuals in addiction treatment to local communities of recovery (White & Kurtz, 2006b). In this third publication, we will: 1) review the ways in which…

This ASAM Practice Guideline pocket card is intended to aid clinicians in their clinical decision-making and patient management. The Practice Guideline pocket card strives to identify and define clinical decision making junctures that meet the needs of most patients in most circumstances. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) developed this National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use to provide information on evidence-based treatment of opioid use disorder. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

The Assessment of Recovery Capital (ARC) is a brief and easy to administer measurement of recovery capital that has acceptable psychometric properties and may be a useful complement to deficit-based assessment and outcome monitoring instruments for substance dependent individuals in and out of treatment. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

To build community capacity for helping students in recovery thrive in the fullness of the college experience, this research suggests, when starting to serve and support college students in recovery, there are 11 community-based assets that one should emphasize. Then, over time, one should continue to leverage as many of the 27 remaining community-based assets…

The current opioid crisis has had an unprecedented effect on patients, communities, and the U.S. health care system, demanding a systematic and coordinated response. The crisis has had a particular effect on women of childbearing age. TweetShareSharePin0 Shares

Despite a range of long-standing historical, political, ideological, professional, structural, and practical barriers, there has been, and continues to be, a clear consensus that integration between mental health and addiction services is sorely needed and long overdue. This paper focuses on one dimension of the challenge of integration from among the several—the conceptual—and proposes the…

Considerable research has been done on the birth and early evolution of A.A. since Not-God: A History of Alcoholics Anonymous by Harvard-trained historian Ernie Kurtz was published in 1979. Ernie was subsequently encouraged and enthralled by each new historical discovery about A.A. but remained in the final years of his life disappointed that no one had since…

Recent essays in this series predicted the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the future of addiction recovery and celebrated the resilience of communities of recovery as they transitioned from face-to-face to online recovery support meetings. This brief article calls attention to those potentially left behind in this transition to digital support and explores the ethical and effective implementation…

For more than two decades, advocates with lived experience of addiction recovery have tried to shift the conceptual center of the addictions field from a focus on addiction-related pathology and deficit-focused models of assessment and treatment to a focus on resilience and recovery. A less heralded effort has been to extend the intrapersonal focus on…

Over the years, there have been many developments and changes in the way that social interventions and clinical treatments have been delivered, including the introduction of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral therapies (e.g., Lazarus, 1971; Thomas, 1967), the move toward time-limited, task-structured interventions (Mullen, Dumpson, & Associates, 1972; Reid & Epstein, 1972), and the use of manuals…

One of my favorite authors is Dr. Oliver Sacks, the famed clinical neurologist and author of such works as The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Awakenings, and Seeing Voices. Two of Sacks books (Hallucinations and On the Move) and a Sacks biography (And How Are You, Dr. Sacks by Lawrence Weschler) recount Sacks early drug experimentation, his eventual…

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has revealed deep-seated inequities in health care for communities of color, and amplifies social and economic factors that contribute to poor health outcomes. Recent news reports indicate that the pandemic disproportionately impacts communities of color, compounding longstanding racial disparities. Learn more about the impact of COVID-19 on Black and Latino communities…

The recent growth in peer-based recovery support services as an adjunct and alternative to addiction treatment has created heightened ambiguity about the demarcation of responsibilities across three roles: 1) voluntary service roles with communities of recovery, e.g., the role of the sponsor within Twelve Step programs, 2) clinically focused addiction treatment specialists (e.g., certified addiction…

The most cursory review of the history of addiction treatment reveals a long tradition of inadvertent harm in the name of help (iatrogenic illness). Such treatment insults span bleeding, purging, and toxic, mercury-laden medicines in the 18th century. They include the fraudulent boxed and bottled home cures and the use of cocaine to treat morphine…

This fact sheet was developed to educate individuals on the importance of language and on stigmatizing words that have the ability to demean or demoralize those in or seeking recovery. This sheet draws attention to the terminology that currently causes confusion and perpetuates stigma , and it promotes the use of words that will advance…