The New England Alliance for Addiction Recovery (NEAAR) has been officially in existence since December 12, 1997. NEAAR received three year funding from the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment effective October 1,1998 to organize and develop a grass roots face and voice for the Addiction Recovering Community representing the New England region and each individual state.
NEAAR is made up of representatives from each of the six states. The NEAAR Leadership Board has the responsibility for overseeing the CSAT grant and determining NEAAR advocacy roles. The purpose of NEAAR is to educate the general public and each other on 1) the subjects of addiction and recovery, and 2) what can and should be done to improve the quality and responsiveness of the Addiction Service System and 3) to provide training and technical assistance regionally. Each state organization conducts two types of activities: 1) presents educational activities designed to increase knowledge and reduce stigma around chemical dependency, and 2) holds discussions with public and private funders and providers of substance abuse treatment resulting in a formal voice for clients and former clients in the development and ongoing assessment of the quality of the treatment system.
I am the project director of NEAAR and would appreciate the opportunity to present our unique experience related to organizing the Recovering Community on a state and regional level and to share our exciting achievements that could become part of the APHA grass roots advocacy movement and also be replicated in other parts of the country.
Learning Objectives: Participants will learn the steps necessary to organize recovering persons into advocates for inclusion in treatment planning and funding decisions on the local level
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.