Addiction and Recovery in the United States: Reinforcing Community-Based Solutions
 
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Background

H.R. 953Addiction is one of the most urgent public health challenges facing the nation. The use and misuse of drugs and alcohol cause tens of thousands of preventable illnesses and deaths each year and take a devastating toll on Americans from all racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Today, an estimated 23 million people who struggle with substance use disorders are not receiving the help that they need to recover.

Nationwide momentum is building to improve services and supports as the recovery movement continues to grow. In February 2015, the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) was introduced as a nonpartisan bill in Congress. The House version, H.R. 953, was introduced by Congressmen Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Tim Ryan (D-OH), Bobby Scott (D-VA), Tom Marino (R-PA), Karen Bass (D-CA), David Joyce (R-OH), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and Steve Chabot (R-OH). The Senate version, S. 524, was introduced by Senators Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Rob Portman (R-OH), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Chris Coons (D-DE). CARA proposes a significant expansion of prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts, and specifically addresses the current epidemic of opioid use and overdoses. Title III—Treatment and Recovery, includes a significant response from sectors of the organized recovery community (Sec. 303, National Youth Recovery Initiative, and Sec. 304, Building Communities of Recovery).

The Altarum Policy Roundtable will highlight three distinct, interrelated sectors of the organized recovery community and include perspectives from organizations representing both young people and recovery programs in the educational system, as well as adults. The Roundtable dialogue will discuss a statement of the problem, ways in which the organized recovery community has addressed addiction and recovery to date, and how further resources will develop capacity and infrastructure to ensure an effective community response in the future.

 

The Anonymous People - Trailer from Greg Williams on Vimeo.
Video placed with permission from http://manyfaces1voice.org/ and www.facingaddiction.org.