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Executive Director, Public Advocacy - One Vision One Voice
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Hazelden's Center for Public Advocacy
A voice for addiction awareness and recovery
The Hazelden Center for Public Advocacy works every day to remove the perceived stigma of alcohol and drug addiction. Our efforts focus on defining and promoting policy and legislation that will help people with the disease of addiction more easily find treatment and recovery support.
What we believe
Although there are many issues surrounding alcohol and drug addiction, treatment, and recovery, at the core of Hazelden's advocacy and public-policy work are five guiding principles:
- Addiction to alcohol and other drugs is a chronic illness and a public health problem impacting all Americans.
- Addiction is a treatable illness with measurable outcomes of success, and Hazelden's addiction treatment model offers people the best opportunity to find lifelong recovery.
- Standardized treatment outcomes are integral to ensuring that people receive proper care. These outcomes standards must also help to define the treatment field's role in the continuum of health care services at the state and federal level.
- All people with addiction deserve to find treatment and recovery services that are appropriate to each person's needs.
- The stigma of addiction is a major barrier to recovery; access to care is improved by ending discrimination against people with this illness.
Our goals
We work to influence public policies that improve access to addiction treatment centers and recovery support services. Our goals:
- End discrimination against people who seek alcohol or drug abuse treatment. Private health insurance plans must cover treatment for addiction like they do other major chronic illnesses.
- Identify the problem before it is too late. Medical professionals must make screening for alcohol or other drug problems a part of every primary care and emergency room visit.
- Reduce prison and jail overcrowding by giving criminal defendants a chance to overcome their problems.
- Require effective treatment and supervised continuing care programs instead of incarceration for non-violent offenders with drug or alcohol addictions.
News
Congresswoman Betty McCollum (D-4th) toured the Hazelden St. Paul campus in August. She is pictured here on the front porch of Fellowship Club with CEO Mark Mishek, Pat Gordon-Rice, the clinical director and Dean Peterson of the Center for Public Advocacy.
The Center for Public Advocacy joined Faces and Voices of Recovery in hosting the America Honors Recovery Awards ceremony in Washington, D.C. The event recognized leaders in the recovery movement, and retiring Rep. Patrick Kennedy received the first-ever Legacy award. Pictured left to right are Carol McDaid of Faces and Voice of Recovery, U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and William Moyers of Hazelden.
