Long Term Recovery

 

This is an interesting article from the Drug Control Policy Director and it's on long term recovery, which is something every chemical dependency counselor will speak about. 

"The White House’s drug czar, Gil Kerlikowske, pictured here with Congresswoman Mary Bono Mack, called for a “paradigm shift” in the nation’s approach to curbing drug abuse during a recent speech at the Betty Ford Center.

Mr. Kerlikowske, director of the White House’s Office of National Drug Control Policy, pushed for expanded access to long-term recovery programs across the country.

He also advocated reviewing thousands of state and federal laws that often hurt recovering addicts trying to rejoin society.

“This country hasn’t looked at recovery in a way that makes a lot of sense,” Kerlikowske, a former Seattle police chief, told an audience mostly of addiction scientists gathered at the renowned treatment center, co-founded by former first lady Betty Ford in 1982.

Recovery was “kind of an afterthought” and “often overlooked,” he said.

As the one-year anniversary of Ford’s death nears, Kerlikowske asked the millions of Americans living in recovery to help reduce addiction’s stigma by sharing their struggles publicly.

“The country needs to hear your stories. It also needs to hear your setbacks,” he said.

“The more we talk openly on substance abuse, the better we can actually treat it.”

There are some 38,000 state and federal laws that hurt many who’ve already served their penalty for drug-related crimes by putting stable housing, student loans, drivers licenses and other essentials out of reach, Kerlikowske said.

He also touted a federal voucher program that recovering addicts use for counseling, transportation, transitional housing, child care, work clothes and other services to stay clean and sober after treatment.

Some $30 billion has been spent on such programs in the past three years, Kerlikowske said.

“The federal government should expand access to a drug-free life and not diminish it,” he added.

The policy speech reflected the different approach Kerlikowske takes compared to his drug-czar predecessors, in an office mostly associated with the nation’s so-called “war on drugs.”

“The day he arrived to become part of the (Obama) administration… he really changed the dialogue,” Betty Ford Center CEO John Schwarzlose told the audience.

“All of a sudden treatment, prevention and education became the key focus — and it always hasn’t been the case in that office.”

Kerlikowske hopes his “third way” approach, advocating neither full- blown drug legalization nor an emphasis on arrests and incarcerations, can make a difference curbing drug abuse.

His message was new to many of the global scientists who attended Monday. They were already in La Quinta for the College on Problems of Drug Dependence conference.

Kerlikowske’s focus on recovery is something they’ll take back to Vietnam, Iraq, Israel and other nations represented at the annual conference, said Rick Rawson, a University of California, Los Angeles professor and CPDD member.

“I bet for two-thirds of the people in that room … it’s the first time they’ve heard about it that way,” Rawson said.

Kerlikowske described Ford as a “recovery champion, unafraid to break taboos and speak about issues that affect the lives of millions.”

Michael Banyard a 45-year-old recovering addict who’s struggled with cocaine abuse most of his adult life, appreciated the drug czar’s speech.

In recovery, “serving others is so important,” said Banyard, adding that he’s been sober 11 months while living and working at a transitional shelter in Los Angeles’ Echo Park neighborhood.

His life hasn’t been easy, but having the chance to work through his problems with his family’s help — instead of sitting in jail — has been a huge boost to his recovery, Banyard said.

Palm Springs Republican Rep. Mary Bono Mack, who co-chairs the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse, introduced Kerlikowske on Monday and said the nation urgently needed to reform its drug policies.

“We’re losing this battle,” Bono Mack said. “Washington needs to change its thinking.”"

Source: http://www.bettyfordcenter.org/recovery/featured/long-term-recovery-advocated...

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