Recovery Advocacy
A National Voice and Thought Leader
Why Advocacy Matters
Through public advocacy efforts, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation provides a trusted national voice on all issues related to addiction prevention, treatment and recovery. We facilitate dialogue among individuals in recovery from substance use disorder, those who are still in active use, and society at large. We are committed to undoing stigma that surrounds the disease, shaping public policy, and educating people everywhere about alcohol and other drug problems and the promise of recovery.
Recovery advocacy is the heart of our broader advocacy efforts, powered by the faces and voices of people from the community of millions who are in recovery, their families and their allies, as well as families of loss channeling their pain to help others. Our lived experiences prove that recovery is possible, and our stories inspire action. Recovery advocacy helps replace misinformation with understanding, misperception with empathy, and denial with hope.
Become an Advocate
By joining our advocacy network, you will receive free monthly Hazelden Betty Ford Advocacy Updates in your email inbox with news, views, issues and opportunities to take action. Each issue includes an easy way for you to contact your elected representatives and support proposals that aid recovery. Your passion, insights and advocacy can truly make a difference, and together, we make an even bigger impact.
What We Do
- Educate the public and policymakers about substance use disorders and recovery
- Shape public policy
- Transform stigma into compassion
Issues We Care About
- Turning the tide on the opioid epidemic and broader addiction crisis
- Improving access to addiction treatment and recovery support
- Reforming the addiction treatment industry
- Nurturing recovery-oriented systems of care
- Removing barriers to recovery and closing social, economic and racial disparities
- Developing alternative sentencing and other criminal justice reforms
- Educating about the risks and costs of expanded marijuana use
- Preventing alcohol misuse and addiction
- Ending the stigma of addiction
How We Take Action and Advocate
To change public attitudes, perceptions and policy, we must get informed, get involved, and share our voices. At Hazelden Betty Ford we support you as a recovery advocate by:
- Keeping you up-to-date with the latest news, views, issues and opportunities to take action in our monthly Advocacy Updates
- Organizing addiction recovery advocacy events
- Developing position papers and statements
- Bringing important advocacy issues to light in Hazelden Betty Ford’s award-winning Let’s Talk Addiction & Recovery podcast series, hosted by longtime national recovery advocate William C. Moyers
- Providing thought leaders and subject matter experts for local and national events
- Informing and encouraging dialogue through our blogs, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and our online recovery community, The Daily Pledge
- Developing and disseminating the latest surveys and research data on drug trends
Content spotlight: Recovery Parity: From Coverage to Integration: Listen in as William C. Moyers talks with attorney Emily Piper about the biggest challenges and opportunities involved in our efforts to fully integrate addiction treatment and recovery support into the larger health care system.
