Recovery Advocacy

The Addiction Resource Council, Inc. joins the National Treatment Plan Initiative in envisioning “a society in which people with a history of alcohol or [other] drug problems, people in recovery, and people at risk for these problems are valued and treated with dignity and where stigma, accompanying attitudes, discrimination, and other barriers to recovery are eliminated. We envision a society in which substance abuse and dependence is recognized as a public health issue, a treatable illness for which individuals deserve treatment. We envision a society in which high-quality services for alcohol and [other] drug problems are widely available and where treatment is recognized as a specialized field of expertise.” ─ Changing the Conversation, The National Treatment Plan Initiative, 2000

The problem of substance abuse and addiction has long troubled our Nation, requiring a balance among concerns for public safety, health and moral values. Focusing on treatment for addiction to help people stop using or abusing alcohol and/or other drugs and achieve healthy recovery does not resolve possible conflicts among these concerns, but it can help to defuse them by turning our energies toward finding a common solution.

What is advocacy?

WordNet ® 2.0, © 2003 Princeton University defines advocacy as:

active support; especially the act of pleading or arguing for something

There are many things that people can do to advocate for recovery and a number of local and national organizations are dedicated to advocacy. One way to advocate is through the development and implementation of public policies that support recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

The bipartisan Addiction, Treatment and Recovery Caucus serves as a groundbreaking forum for Members of the United States Congress and their staff to discuss problems associated with addiction and promote solutions to these problems.  The primary purpose of the Caucus is to inform, educate and raise awareness about chemical addiction and promote access to treatment and recovery.

Find out if your representative is currently a member.

If you’re not sure who your representative is, find out here.

If your representative is not listed, contact him/her and ask him/her to join using this simple format developed by Faces and Voices of Recovery.

Another way to advocate for recovery is to show the public and policymakers that recovery is happening for millions of Americans and their families in communities across America. Telling your personal story can be very powerful in assisting decision-makers to support treatment and recovery efforts. If you would like to assist the Addiction Resource Council’s advocacy efforts by telling your story publicly, call us at 262-524-7921.

For additional resources online about Recovery Advocacy, please visit:

• Silent Treatment
• NCADD’s Advocacy With Anonymity
• Recovery Ambassadors
• Faces and Voices of Recovery
• Recovery is Everywhere
• Join Together