Advocacy is Recovery Support Mobilizing the Recovery Community John de Miranda, Ed.M., L.A.A.D.C. CA SUD Conference August 2017
The Vision California communities of recovery will continue to spring up helping people find and sustain their recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs for the long-term. People in recovery, families, friends and allies will organize and mobilize as a constituency of consequence. Discrimination and stigma against people in or seeking recovery will be eliminated and equal rights and opportunities will be afforded to all Californians. 2
Achieving the Vision Organizing the recovery community People in long term recovery as powerful self-advocates Eliminating discriminatory laws, regulations and norms Advocating for a level playing field 3
What is Advocacy? Word derivation: To call, summon, invite The act of pleading for Supporting or recommending 4
Rights Revolutions The Suffragettes (women s vote) Civil Rights (African-Americans et al) Disability Rights LGBT Rights Recovery Rights 5
We will improve the lives of millions of Americans, their families and communities if we treat addiction to alcohol and other drugs as a public health crisis. To overcome this crisis, we must accord dignity to people with addiction and recognize that there is no one path to recovery. 6
Right #11 We have the right to speak out publicly about our recovery to let others know that long term recovery from addiction is a reality 7
Recovery Rights Individuals in, seeking or in need of recovery have some of their rights taken from them by virtue of their past drug and alcohol addiction. Good News: the criminalization of addiction is ending 8
From a Person with SUD Disorder to a Felon Drug Addiction + Bad Behavior to Acquire Drugs + Criminal Justice System Involvement II Drug Felon 9
Advocating for Recovery 10
Recovery Process Recovery from alcohol and drug problems is a process of change through which an individual achieves abstinence and improved health, wellness, and quality of life. Source: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment National Summit on Recovery, 2005 11
Recovery focus So what precise aspects of the world are recovery advocacy movements seeking to change? Put simply, we are seeking to change ideas, words and images through which AOD problems are expressed. We want to change how people are perceived who have or who once had but no longer have these problems. 12
Politically Conscious Recovery Recovery is both a personal act and a political calling 13
Recovery-friendly Communities Our goal is to develop policies, communities, and a society that are recovery-friendly. One part of making this happen is to create what some are calling: Recovery Advocacy Networks 14
Recovery-oriented systems of care Mobilizing all of the resources in our communities to: Change discriminatory public policies in the areas of health care, jobs and housing to eliminate barriers Develop networks and systems that work together to treat addiction as a public health crisis and accord dignity to people with addiction Help more people find and sustain their recovery for the long-term 15
Recovery-oriented systems of care Build on the strengths and resilience of individuals, families and communities as individuals take responsibility for their long-term recovery, health and wellness. Make services and resources available that people can use to meet their needs. 16
Recovery-oriented systems of care Embrace advocacy as a strategy to change systems Empower individuals in recovery and their allies to become self advocates Also empower individuals in recovery and their allies to become systems change advocates 17
Historical context... Treatment Field Recovery Community 18
Recovery Community Organizations Recovery Community Treatment Field BRIDGE the gap! 19
Recovery community People in recovery from alcohol and other drug addiction, families, friends and allies 20
Recovery Advocacy Examples Incorporating self and systems change advocacy into treatment and recovery protocols Eliminating discriminatory laws and regulations 21
Stepping up Curriculum Mixing Advocacy with Treatment (Addiction Professional article) https://www.addictionpro.com/article/mixing-advocacy-treatment 22
Drug Offender Registration Health and Safety Code (H&S) Section 11590 Drug Offender Registration 11590. (a) Except as provided in subdivisions (c) and (d), any person who is convicted in the State of California of any qualifying offense, noted in this Section, or any person who is discharged or paroled from a penal institution where he or she was confined because of the commission of any such offense, or any person who is convicted in any other state of any offense which, if committed or attempted in this state, would have been punishable as one or more of the above-mentioned offenses, shall within 30 days of his or her coming into any county or city, or city and county in which he or she resides or is temporarily domiciled for that length of time, register with the chief of police of the city in which he or she resides or the sheriff of the county if he or she resides in an unincorporated area. 23