Recovery Allies: How to Support Addiction Recovery and Build Recovery-Friendly Communities

Description

For readers of The Least of Us and In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts--a practical, hopeful, and research-based guide for supporting loved ones through addiction and recovery. This isn't a book about addiction--it's a book about recovery. Written for every loved one, community member, and recovery professional who wants to know "how do I help?," Recovery Allies offers real-world solutions, evidence-based strategies, and, above all, hope for the 23 million Americans living in recovery from substance use disorder. Other books describe how to treat addiction or offer stories of recovery and redemption, but this is the first to comprehensively approach our addiction crisis from a community perspective. You'll learn about- Reducing the shame and stigma that can prevent folks in recovery from asking for helpThe tools essential to addressing our addiction epidemicHow to apply public health strategies across all community sectors, from healthcare and law enforcement to faith organizations and educationThe critical role of relationships and community support in achieving sobriety and maintaining recoveryRelapse prevention, harm reduction, and peer support Recovery Allies is structured around the key pillars of recovery as identified by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)- home, health, purpose, and community. It shows you a different way to think about addiction in our country--and what you can do to help in all your spheres of influence. Most adults with substance use disorder don't receive specialized treatment like counseling, medication, or rehab. Instead, the recovery journey starts in their communities, among family and friends--here and now, with their recovery allies.

ALISON JONES WEBB, MA, MPH has worked in public health community outreach, grassroots organizing, substance use and overdose prevention, and community-based recovery supports for over 20 years. Webb has advocated for programs and policies based on science and research, lifting up the voices of people who use drugs and alcohol and people in recovery. Webb is currently the President of the Board of Directors of the Maine Association of Recovery Residences. Webb is a founding member of Maine's first chapter of Young People in Recovery, a national advocacy organization that promotes different pathways to recovery and the development of recovery ready communities. She also assisted in the development of the University of Southern Maine's Collegiate Recovery Program. This is her first book.

"Simply a wonderful book, a godsend. One of the best books of its kind I've ever read." -JOHN SHINHOLSER, president of The McShin Foundation and person in long-term recovery "If we're serious about addressing the addiction crisis, we need to get on the same page, unite, and work together to stand any real chance of making a meaningful and lasting difference. This book should inspire and empower policy makers and the public alike to become 'allies in recovery.'" -JOHN F. KELLY, PhD, ABPP, Elizabeth R. Spallin Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School and founder and director of the Recovery Research Institute, Massachusetts General Hospital "Tragically, we lost [my nephew] to an overdose in 2018. This wonderful, well-researched book comes too late for our family, but I have great hope that it will help many others avoid this terrible and avoidable outcome." -LISA HALLEE, JD, CPCC (Certified Professional Co-Active Coach) and affected family member "This is the resource I will be pointing everyone to when they ask how they can help someone with substance use disorder. Webb compassionately articulates a complex, complicated topic and provides actionable steps that anyone can do. I'm excited to share this book with our readers." -CAROLYN DELANEY, founder and publisher of Journey magazine and person in long-term recovery "An excellent contribution to the growing literature on addiction recovery. This book is clear and concise and makes a compelling addition to our understanding of the key role communities and social networks play in the complex pathways to addiction recovery." -DAVID BEST, PhD., professor of criminology at the University of Derby and author of Pathways to Recovery and Desistance "I wish I had had the knowledge contained in this book during my law enforcement career and when I realized my daughter was struggling with an opioid use disorder. It would have changed my approach and made a positive difference." -BOB MACKENZIE, chief of police, Kennebunk, Maine, and affected family member "Webb courageously tackles the root causes of substance use disorder, including trauma and mental health, and thoughtfully explores the barriers encountered by those in recovery, most especially shame and stigma. An essential read for those serving and interacting with individuals in recovery and for those who want to make a difference in their communities." -DR. ALANE O'CONNOR, DNP, clinical advisor at MaineMOM (Maine Maternal Opioid Misuse)