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Meeting Summary - Final

National Recovery Month Planning Partners Meeting

Wednesday, September 5, 2018

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 5600 Fishers Lane Rockville, MD 20857

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Attendance

Phone/Online Participants Organization Daphne Baille Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities Sheila Bracey Department of Behavioral Health/Deeds of Kindness Kevin Fitts Oregon Mental Health Consumers Association Bill Greer SMART Recovery® Anna Jones Oxford House Joan Kub International Nurses Society on Addictions Pedro Montenegro National Hispanic Medical Association Elise Padilla National Alliance on Mental Illness Jasmine Rennie American Society of Addiction Medicine Raphaelle Richardson District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health Linda Smith Administration for Children and Families/HHS Luke Waldron American Society of Addiction Medicine

In-Person Participants Organization Abdelwahab Alawneh Arab and Middle East Resources Center Javier Alegre Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness Jeff Boss Carol Boyer Maryland House Detox Stacey Carpenter Optum Behavioral Health Mary Beth Collins National Association for Children of Addiction Jeremy Countryman Family Café Kateri Coyhis White Bison, Inc. Lauren Davis Washington Recovery Alliance Betty Djawdan Arise and Flourish Dona Dmitrovic Foundation for Recovery Letty Elenes TAC of Door to Wellbeing Copeland Center of Wellness and

Recovery Evan Figueroa-Vargas Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania Chip Fuller Northwest Georgia Treatment Center Maryanne Frangules Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery Janie Gullickson Mental Health Association of Oregon Holly Hagle Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network Nancy Hale Operation UNITE Michelle Harter Anchor Recovery Community Center Tom Hill National Council for Behavioral Health Christopher Hindbaugh Addiction Treatment Services Mariel Hufnagel The Ammon Foundation Brandee Izquierdo Faces & Voices of Recovery Kate Kerr Addiction Treatment Services Cathy Khaledi Nar-Anon Family Groups, Inc. Christopher Kinson Arise and Flourish Cortney Lovell Our Wellness Collective John de Miranda National Association on Alcohol Drugs and Disability

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Donald McDonald Addiction Professionals of North Carolina Lureen McNeil New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services George O’Toole Anchor Recovery Community Center, Providence Center

Melissa Patrick Kansas Consumer Advisory Council for Adult Mental Health Rev. Snow Peabody Teen Challenge International, USA

Michael Polacek Kennesaw State University, Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery

Joe Powell Association of Persons Affected by Addiction Devin Reaves Harm Reduction Coalition Claire Ricewasser Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc.

Jason Robison Self-Help and Recovery Exchange, Los Angeles Brandi Smith Oklahoma Citizen Advocates for Recovery and Treatment

Zachary Talbott MedMark Treatment Centers Danielle Tarino Addiction Policy Forum

Ivette Torres Torres Communications Terrence Walton National Association of Drug Court Professionals Harvey Weiss Synergies; National Inhalant Prevention Coalition Keegan Wicks The RASE Project

Lauryn Wicks Pennsylvania Recovery Organizations Alliance Jesse Wheeler Recovery Data Solutions, LLC

Joseph Zabel Arise and Flourish

SAMHSA Staff Wanda Finch SAMHSA/CMHS Steven Fry SAMHSA/CMHS Marla Hendriksson SAMHSA/CSAT Nigel Hernandez SAMHSA/CMHS Alyssa Malcomson SAMHSA/CSAT Michele Monroe SAMHSA/CSAT Chideha Ohuoha SAMHSA/CSAT Darlene Sagheer SAMHSA/CSAT Amy Smith SAMHSA/CSAT Carlton Speight SAMHSA/CMHS Paolo del Vecchio SAMHSA/CMHS

National Recovery Month Support Contractors Flo Pique-Monnier Crosby Nora Younes Crosby Anna Zawislanski Crosby Tamika Hawkins Edelman Mansie Hough Edelman

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Table of Contents

I. Welcome – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT.....................5 II. CSAT Update – Captain Chideha Ohuoha, M.D., M.P.H., Director, CSAT......................................5 III. CMHS Update – Paolo del Vecchio, M.S.W., Director, CMHS ........................................................6 IV. Recovery Month Planning Partner Introductions & Updates – Amy Smith, CSAT & Steven Fry,

CMHS .................................................................................................................................................7 V. 2019 Recovery Month Materials – Michele Monroe, CSAT ............................................................11 VI. Planning Partner Ad Hoc Workgroup Introduction, Planning, & Reports – Mariel Hufnagel,

Maryanne Frangules, Devin Reaves, Jason Robison, Brandee Izquierdo, & Kate Kerr ..................17 VII. Planning Partner Ad Hoc Workgroup Breakouts – Amy Smith, Michele Monroe, Steven Fry, &

Capt. Wanda Finch............................................................................................................................19 VIII. Planning Partner Ad Hoc Workgroup Breakout Reports – Mariel Hufnagel, Maryanne Frangules,

Devin Reaves, Jason Robison, Brandee Izquierdo, & Kate Kerr .....................................................30 IX. Important Recovery Month Planning Partner Meeting & Event Dates – Marla Hendriksson, Acting

Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT...................................................................................31 X. New Business – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT ...........31 XI. Adjournment – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT.............32 XII. Action Items......................................................................................................................................32

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I. Welcome – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT

Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director of the Office of Consumer Affairs at the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), welcomed the Planning Partners to the meeting and welcomed new Planning Partners. She stressed that everyone works hard in the months leading to September and all year long. She thanked her team, Michele Monroe, Darlene Sagheer, and Amy Smith, for making this meeting and kick-off event possible. She also thanked Captain Wanda Finch and her division for supporting Recovery Month efforts.

She explained the expanding work in the Office of Consumer Affairs (OCA). Integration and expansion are the ongoing themes for OCA. In addition, the OCA is looking to expand work to families and peers. Ms. Hendriksson spoke about other recovery services, such as a pilot program that trains peers to mentor youth and young adults in the criminal justice system. She emphasized that these recovery services are integral to helping people, especially those in hard-to-reach places. Ms. Hendriksson briefed the Partners on available webinars. SAMHSA hosted six webinars on state laws and a four-part webcast for healthcare professionals (The Power of Perceptions and Understanding: Changing How We Deliver Treatment and Recovery Services). These webinars are available on www.samhsa.gov. There will be more webinars and events in October, and Ms. Hendriksson told the Planning Partners to be on the lookout for those.

Ms. Hendriksson discussed last year’s Recovery Month events. There were more than 1,600 Recovery Month events last year and Ms. Hendriksson expressed her excitement for this year’s events. She also reminded the Partners that next year is Recovery Month’s 30th anniversary. The Planning Partners cheered for this milestone. She expressed her excitement for the Partners’ input on 30th anniversary materials.

Ms. Hendriksson then introduced Dr. Chideha Ohuoha, the new CSAT Director. She articulated SAMHSA’s excitement to have him join their team. Dr. Ohuoha was the chief psychiatrist for the Wounded Warrior Brigade. He also worked at National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institute of Mental Health, Howard University, and the George Washington School of Medicine. Dr. Ohuoha is already supporting Recovery Month activities. Recently, he contributed two blog posts to the SAMHSA website for International Overdose Awareness Day and Recovery Month respectively.

II. CSAT Update – Captain Chideha Ohuoha, M.D., M.P.H., Director, CSAT

Dr. Ohuoha welcomed the Planning Partners to SAMHSA. As a clinician, he is aware of the importance of Recovery Month, especially during the current opioid epidemic. In addition to the opioid epidemic, there are alarming rates of alcohol misuse and a new focus on co-occurring disorders. These issues are hitting rural communities hard and Dr. Ohuoha said Recovery Month is the perfect opportunity for discussing these important issues.

Dr. Ohuoha is already attending Recovery Month events. He attended a Recovery Month event in Portland, Oregon. He said these events help him to continue to do work in the field. He thanked the Planning Partners for their hard work and dedication that makes recovery possible.

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Dr. Ohuoha went on to share his vision as the CSAT Director. He would like to increase access of recovery support services to people in rural communities. He hopes that CSAT can become a Center of Excellence, which will help reach this goal. Dr. Ohuoha discussed other activities in CSAT. In fiscal year 2018, CSAT had many programs that responded to the opioid crisis. Many of these grants expanded access to medication assisted treatment (MAT) and educated people in the medical services industry on the importance of this service. He also highlighted SAMHSA’s Providers’ Clinical Support System for Medication Assisted Treatment (PCSS-MAT). He hopes the PCSS-MAT will help increase the number of people who are trained in MAT. In addition to the aforementioned grants, SAMHSA is looking to focus on funding for states with high rates of crimes related the opioid use. SAMHSA will bring MAT programs and other appropriate materials to these areas. In total, these programs provide over 1 billion dollars in funding to help with the opioid epidemic.

In addition to helping combat the opioid crisis, CSAT is also continuing to fund the Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS). This effort promotes and supports recovery for people who have co-occurring disorders.

Dr. Ohuoha said CSAT is participating in an exciting recovery-housing workshop. This workshop looks at housing needs for people in recovery. It also supports the inclusion of people needing MAT in housing services.

Dr. Ohuoha voiced his support for these services and the recovery community. He looks forward to the kick-off event tomorrow and is excited about what SAMHSA and the Planning Partners can achieve together moving forward. He thanked the Planning Partners again for their involvement.

III. CMHS Update – Paolo del Vecchio, M.S.W., Director, CMHS

Ms. Hendriksson thanked Dr. Ohuoha and introduced Paolo del Vecchio, the Director of CMHS. She thanked Mr. del Vecchio for being a continued ally in this effort and emphasized the efforts from CMHS have been valuable to SAMHSA for many years, and the recovery community. Ms. Hendriksson also thanked Mr. del Vecchio for helping the OCA.

Mr. del Vecchio thanked Ms. Hendriksson for the warm introduction. He proceeded to thank Dr. Ohuoha and Anne Mathews-Younes for their support and help with Recovery Month. He also gave special thanks to Tom Hill and Ivette Torres for their continued work with the Planning Partners and Recovery Month. Mr. del Vecchio acknowledged the work of Captain Finch, Steven Fry, and Carlton Speight. Mr. del Vecchio also thanked the Planning Partners.

Mr. del Vecchio told the Planning Partners they are at a critical juncture in behavioral health. More than 60,000 people died last year from overdose and more than 40,000 Americans died by suicide. He emphasized that recovery brings the message of hope and the work of the Planning Partners is more important now than ever before. At the last Planning Partner meeting, he spoke about the 21st Century Cures Act, which is legislation that is guiding SAMHSA forward. This piece of legislation created the Interdepartmental Serious Mental Illness Coordinating Committee, also known as ISMICC. This exciting new group brings together sixteen experts in

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serious mental illness and eighteen federal departments. The ISMICC is officially tasked with improving services for people with serious mental illness. The publication of their first Report to Congress outlined six broad areas: data, access, treatment, recovery, justice, and financing. He informed the Planning Partners there are five workgroups that are already implementing ISMICC’s recommendations.

In addition to the ISMICC, Mr. del Vecchio highlighted two programs CMHS is helping to fund. The first is the Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics. This program gives 100 million dollars to eight participating states. The second program is Assertive Community Treatment. Although this program is not new, it is the gold standard in helping serve people in the community with serious mental illness. SAMHSA added five million new dollars to expand this model. Mr. del Vecchio encouraged the Planning Partners to pay attention to these programs.

Mr. del Vecchio acknowledged the important work of Captain Finch with the BRSS TACS. He also encouraged the Planning Partners to pay attention to this program.

He closed by stating that now more than ever, people in recovery help inform SAMHSA on how it can serve and support people in recovery. Recovery Month is one of many ways SAMHSA reaffirms their commitment.

IV. Recovery Month Planning Partner Introductions and Updates – Amy Smith, CSAT & Steven Fry, CMHS

Amy Smith and Steven Fry welcomed the Planning Partners and asked them to introduce themselves quickly.

Introductions began with Betty Djawdan, Christopher Kinson, and Joseph Zabel from Arise and Flourish. Their program helps students in Montgomery County who either struggle with addiction issues or have a family member who does. Last year, they reached more than 5,000 students.

Janie Gullickson from the Mental Health Association of Oregon asked Planning Partners to look at their Peer Link program and their annual conference.

Joe Powell from the Association of Persons Affected by Addiction noted that he was honored to be amongst his peers.

Carol Boyer from the Delphi Behavioral Health Group has sixteen locations in six states. Its newest location is the Maryland House of Detox.

Ivette Torres stated she was happy to return to Recovery Month and connect with the Planning Partners.

Zac Talbott from MedMark Treatment Centers introduced himself.

Chip Fuller introduced himself as an addiction counselor with the Northwest Georgia Treatment Center.

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Melissa Patrick from the Kansas Consumer Advisory Council for Adult Mental Health introduced herself.

Holly Hagle from Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network mentioned this was her first face-to-face Planning Partner meeting.

Captain Wanda Finch from CMHS OCA introduced herself as the coordinator for BRSS TACS.

Darlene Sagheer from CSAT OCA introduced herself.

Devin Reaves from the Harm Reduction Coalition explained that his organization works to expand the evidence base for people who are affected by clinical diseases.

Jesse Wheeler from Recovery Data Solutions introduced himself.

Brandi Smith from Oklahoma Citizen Advocates for Recovery and Treatment stated that her organization helps people in recovery influence policy.

Javier Alegre from Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness introduced himself.

Kate Kerr from Addiction Treatment Services noted that her organization helps educate people about recovery.

Jeremy Countryman from Family Café explained that Family Café is part of a larger organization based out of Tallahassee, Florida.

Jeff Boss introduced himself.

Keegan Wicks from The RASE Project added that his organization is a recovery community in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. They provide recovery support services such as MAT, warm handoffs, and recovery housing.

Lauryn Wicks from Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliance mentioned that Pennsylvania is getting ready to have their Recovery Day kickoff.

Stacy Carpenter from Optum Behavioral Health noted that her organization focuses on peer support services and is based out of Long Island.

Harvey Weiss from Synergies, National Inhalant Prevention Coalition, mentioned that his organization is doing a lot of events this year. The County and City Mayors are set to give proclamations to celebrate Recovery Month.

Steven Fry, CMHS OCA, reminded the Planning Partners to post their proclamations and events to the Recovery Month website.

Danielle Tarino from the Addiction Policy Forum introduced herself.

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Cortney Lovell from the Wellness Collective announced that her organization is releasing a book for Recovery Month that outlines how to approach recovery. She encouraged the Planning Partners to read it.

Mariel Hufnagel from The Ammon Foundation noted that her foundation helps support people in recovery through scholarships and life skill training to help people maintain their recovery.

Donald McDonald from the Addiction Professionals of North Carolina introduced himself.

John de Miranda from the National Association on Alcohol Drugs and Disability, a San Francisco-Bay area organization, introduced himself.

Lauren Davis from the Washington Recovery Alliance explained that her work focuses on public policy and public understanding. Her organization achieved their legislative agenda and encouraged other Planning Partners who are struggling in this area to talk to her to see how her organization can help.

Michael Polacek from Kennesaw State University Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery introduced himself.

Nancy Hale from Operation UNITE noted that her organization recently expanded its treatment line. It works with the University of Kentucky to maintain an online bed locator for those in need. Her organization also works closely with the police.

Rev. Snow Peabody from Teen Challenge International, USA said that this is his ninth year as a Planning Partner. He enjoys supporting SAMHSA and fellow Planning Partner efforts. This year, his organization is planning 280 events.

Michele Monroe, CSAT OCA, has been with the Recovery Month team for 21 years. She thanked the Planning Partners for attending and their continued help.

Lureen McNeil from New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services noted that her organization works to integrate peers in the drug courts.

Abdelwahab Alawneh from the Arab and Middle East Resources Center explained that his organization works to mobilize the community in recovery efforts.

Kateri Coyhis from White Bison introduced herself. Her organization provides culturally based programs that are geared towards the recovery and prevention of substance use disorders.

Amy Smith, CSAT OCA, asked Planning Partners to post flyers for their upcoming events on the board, so everyone is aware of upcoming efforts.

Cathy Khaledi from Nar-Anon Family Groups, Inc., noted that her organization just had their world convention in Orlando, Florida.

Claire Ricewasser from Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters, Inc. introduced herself. Her

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organization is getting ready to post their 2018 membership survey results. It will be releasing its 2019 magazine shortly.

Dona Dmitrovic from Foundation for Recovery said that her organization is based out of Las Vegas, Nevada. They provide peer support recovery services.

Tom Hill from the National Council for Behavioral Health stated that his organization is hosting the 2018 National Recovery Month Luncheon. They are releasing a recovery advocacy toolkit for housing in the spring. They are also working on a toolkit for recovery housing operators to become more MAT proficient.

Maryanne Frangules from the Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery introduced herself.

Michelle Harter from Anchor Recovery Community Centers in Rhode Island introduced herself.

George O’Toole from Anchor Recovery Community Centers introduced himself.

Evan Figueroa-Vargas from the Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania noted that his organization is peer driven and focuses on the chronically homeless population. They are also safe injection site advocates.

Christopher Hindbaugh from Addiction Treatment Services said that his organization helped start the first safe injection site in their community.

Jason Robison from Self-Help and Recovery Exchange, Los Angeles, explained that his organization is peer run and has helped to provided shared housing to 419 formerly homeless individuals. His program is contracting with BRSS TACS.

Letty Elenes with TAC of Door to Wellbeing Copeland Center of Wellness and Recovery introduced herself.

Terrence Walton with the National Association of Drug Court Professionals explained that his organization is working to fully integrate drug treatment courts with people in long-term recovery.

Mary Beth Collins with the National Association for Children of Addiction stated that her organization provides healing to children who are living with people who are addicted. This support also serves as a prevention service. Their most marketed program is the Celebrating Families program.

Carlton Speight introduced himself from CMHS OCA.

Nigel Hernandez introduced himself from CMHS OCA.

Steven and Amy asked the phone participants to introduce themselves.

Bill Greer from SMART Recovery® introduced himself. His organization is planning to launch an

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international organization to coordinate meetings in more than 20 countries.

Shelia Bracey from the Department of Behavioral Health/Deeds of Kindness introduced herself. Her organization helps link D.C residents to various support services.

Daphne Baille from Treatment Alternatives for Safe Communities introduced herself.

Pedro Montenegro from the National Hispanic Medical Association introduced himself. He works in the programs and government affairs division.

Elise Padilla from the National Alliance on Mental Illness introduced herself.

Kevin Fitts from the Oregon Mental Health Consumers Association introduced himself.

Anna Jones from Oxford House introduced herself.

Joan Kub from the International Nurses Society of Addiction introduced herself.

Jasmine Rennie from the American Society of Addiction Medicine introduced herself.

Raphaelle Richardson from the District of Columbia Department of Behavioral Health introduced himself.

Linda Smith from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration on Children and Families introduced herself.

Luke Waldron from the American Society of Addiction Medicine introduced himself.

Ms. Hendriksson thanked everyone for the introductions. She reminded the Planning Partners that Darlene Sagheer is maintaining the Recovery Month website. Ms. Smith suggested the Planning Partners provide information for their Recovery Month event to Ms. Sagheer, so she can post it on the website.

Ms. Hendriksson underscored Ms. Smith’s comment. Ms. Hendriksson also noted this time is important to make connections with others doing good work in this space. Ms. Hendriksson introduced Michele Monroe to discuss 2019 Recovery Month materials.

V. 2019 Recovery Month Materials – Michele Monroe, CSAT

Rebranding and Updated Recovery Month Logo Michele Monroe opened by discussing the 30th anniversary of Recovery Month. Given this milestone, Recovery Month will be refreshed to align with current best practices for brand identification, including a new logo that better suits the digital platforms. Ms. Monroe unveiled the new Recovery Month logo with various versions. For 2019, there are versions with the 30th

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anniversary tag. Ms. Monroe stressed the Planning Partners can choose from the various logo options for their materials.

Ms. Monroe went on to discuss “r is for recovery”. She stressed the “r” is a symbol for recovery not for Recovery Month and asked the Planning Partners use it in the appropriate context. SAMHSA is in the process of registering the “r” symbol and “r is for recovery” word phrase. She informed the Partners that if they wish to use the “r” and accompanying word phrase, they should fill out a form that is under development at SAMHSA, which outlines best practices for how to use the symbol and word phrase. For example, Ms. Monroe shared SAMHSA would like the “r” and word phrase to be used in a positive context. The online form will also act as a way for SAMHSA to track who is using the “r” and word phrase for what purpose.

Ivette Torres said she likes the “r” and word phrase but worries they will not convey recovery if placed on a mug, for instance. Ms. Monroe said she understood Ms. Torres’ point and noted rebranding takes a long time. Ms. Hendriksson agrees and hopes that by trademarking the symbol and phrase, people will not confuse it with something else.

Ms. Monroe pointed out the Planning Partners have a unique opportunity to help SAMHSA with Recovery Month rebranding efforts, and by using the symbol and word phrase, they help boost visibility and brand recognition.

The Planning Partners then reviewed the 2019 creative designs. Javier Alegre said the rebranding gets lost in this concept. He wondered if they focused on spelling out “r is for recovery,” it might help the “r” pop. Kate Kerr agreed and mentioned the color combination makes it difficult to focus on the purple “r”. Mr. Alegre suggested the purple “r” can be centered as opposed to off to the side.

Mary Beth Collins suggested the slogan should be more of a focal point. Overall, she liked the positive message and said it can be inspiring, especially to children.

Terrence Walton disagreed with some of the other Planning Partners. He liked the design and said the subtlety gives it power and makes you curious to find out more.

Michael Polacek suggested the surrounding “r”s could be smaller; this way people can tell, they are “r”s right away.

Stacey Carpenter said we should go for a more simplistic look. She noted it took a long time for Starbucks to stop using the word Starbucks on its cups and suggested if Recovery Month is going for a similar tactic, the word phrase should be front and center.

Maryanne Frangules agreed with Ms. Carpenter and suggested the creative design spell out “r is for recovery” now so people understand what the “r” means.

Devin Reaves reiterated the Planning Partners like the “r” and they want it to stand out. He asked SAMHSA use “r is for recovery” for another year before putting the “r” by itself.

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Lureen McNeil agreed with other Planning Partners and said she would prefer the “r” to pop more.

Ms. Torres mentioned the design is busy. She also mentioned that the 30th anniversary portion of the design is small and should be bigger, considering this is a big milestone for the recovery community.

Mr. Alegre mentioned it might help if the colors in the background are faded; this way the purple “r” stands out more.

Mariel Hufnagel suggested they remove the other “r”s.

Ms. Monroe mentioned these were great ideas but was concerned that some of them may not be 508 compliant. Since this design is to be posted on a federal government website, it must be 508 compliant, which means it must be easily readable.

Ms. Monroe thanked everyone for their input and said their suggestions will be taken into consideration when finalizing the 2019 creative design.

PSA Concepts Ms. Monroe and Anna Zawislanski from Crosby presented the three PSA concepts SAMHSA is considering making for the 2019 campaign. The Planning Partners asked if their input in this section will be presented to the focus groups. Ms. Monroe confirmed the Planning Partners comments and suggestions are included in the three PSA concepts focus tested. The focus group findings assist SAMHSA in determining what two PSA concepts to produce in 2019.

Ms. Monroe and Ms. Zawislanski presented PSA Concept 1, Strength in Numbers. This concept focuses on SAMHSA’s National Helpline. The Helpline gets nearly 60,000 calls per month for information and referrals to treatment. The goal of the PSA is to be positive and interactive. There is strength in numbers and this means hope, which unlocks the door to recovery. Script: There is strength in numbers. For someone with a mental or substance use disorder, this number can mean hope. This number can unlock the door to recovery. This number can make it possible— with support of family and community— Together We Are Stronger. Join the voices for recovery. For 24-hour free and confidential information and treatment referral for mental and substance use disorders for you or someone you know, call 1-800-662-HELP.

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Ms. Monroe and Ms. Zawislanski presented PSA Concept 2, I Know. This concept uses people in recovery showcasing their success and pride. The audience gets a sense from the visuals and voices that recovery is real and possible. Ms. Monroe confirmed this PSA will showcase real people in recovery. It will also be in black and white. Script: People on-camera, each line is a different person I know. I know recovery is real. It happens. I know, because I’ve done it. People can recover— from mental and substance use disorders. It takes strength— and support— of family and community. Join us. Together We Are Stronger. I know. VO: Join the voices for recovery. For 24-hour free and confidential information and treatment referral for mental and substance use disorders for you or someone you know, call 1-800-662-HELP.

Ms. Monroe and Ms. Zawislanski presented PSA Concept 3, Post Your Recovery. Individuals are writing on sticky notes. They share words of encouragement and support. When you pull back, the stick notes create the “r” for recovery. Script: “I believe in you.” “5 years in recovery.” “Just do the next right thing.” “Proud of you, brother.” Announcer: Every day, millions of people take another step on their journey to recovery from a mental or substance use disorder. You can help—by lending your heart, your strength, your support. Recovery is real and together, we “r” stronger. Join the voices for recovery.

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Discussion on PSA Concept 1: Strength in Numbers The group began reviewing Strength in Numbers. Mariel Hufnagel expressed her concern over the language used at the end of the PSA. She wondered if the term “mental and substance use disorders” stigmatizes those who have a mental illness. She suggested they use mental health disorder as opposed to mental disorder.

Marla Hendriksson mentioned that SAMHSA grapples with this issue. The use of “mental and substance use disorders” is something people are familiar with. Devin Reaves echoed this point and said his organization uses this word phrase because you qualify the term mental and substance use disorder because it is a mental disorder. Ms. Hendriksson said as a matter of practice, the agency uses “mental and substance use disorders.”

Amy Smith said SAMHSA used “mental illness and substance use disorders” in the past. She mentioned there are disorders that affect people with various diagnoses and these are considered mental disorders. As previously mentioned, they can use “mental illness and substance use disorders” but SAMHSA prefers “mental and substance use disorders”.

One Planning Partner mentioned the mental health community would not like the phrase “mental disorder.” She said this should be taken into consideration. She likes the term “mental health”. Ms. Smith cautioned that “mental health” is not a disorder and using this term might confuse people.

Stacey Carpenter said she did work on stigmatizing language and suggested they use mental illness.

Lauren Davis said her organization uses “mental health and substance use challenges” and said it is well received by the community.

Ms. Torres mentioned consistency is key and SAMHSA used this language for many years. Prior to using it, they vetted the term with National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism and other behavioral health organizations. Ms. Monroe agreed with Ms. Torres and said this phrase has been in the toolkit for many years. Jason Robison said he preferred “mental health and substance issues/challenges.”

Ms. Monroe understood Mr. Robison’s point and mentioned that SAMHSA tests the language every year during the focus groups. She asked if the Planning Partners like the PSA Concept1: Strength in Numbers, apart from the language at the end.

Devin Reaves worries that SAMHSA’s National Helpline would compete with state numbers that serve the same purpose. Ms. Zawislanski explained that Strength in Numbers would not be produced in an open-ended format for local communities and organizations to customize. Ms. Monroe also explained that the state numbers are most likely linked to SAMHSA’s National Helpline, as the Helpline works with the states, who identify a state number to direct calls to from the Helpline to when callers select to go to their state. This service is free of charge to states. The technology recognizes the area code of the caller and connects them to their dedicated local number when they select option 1. Therefore, Ms. Monroe said there should be no competition.

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Jeremy Countryman worries the “r is for recovery” is not prominent enough in the artwork. Ms. Monroe confirmed the new logo and word phrase will be onscreen on the end slate of the PSA.

Ms. Zawislanski reminded the Planning Partners that rebranding takes time and what helps build visibility is seeing the “r” in unexpected places. In this PSA, they can find ways to incorporate the “r.”

Ms. Monroe also reminded the Planning Partners the “r” and word phrase worked last year because “r is for recovery” was the name of the PSA but was actually not mentioned in the PSA script. People understood intuitively what the “r” meant.

Discussion on PSA Concept 2: I Know Mr. Countryman said this PSA looks a lot like the new Nike commercial. He cautioned this commercial received mixed feedback and wanted to make SAMHSA aware of this. The SAMHSA team will investigate if this PSA has a similar look to the Nike commercial.

Mary Beth Collins liked this PSA. She thinks it is perfect for families who are recovering together. She mentioned it could be stronger if they featured a family in recovery and have a child say some of the voiceover.

Abdelwahab Alawneh said cultural competence is important. He mentioned stigma is a major obstacle for people in his community to seek treatment. He requested the PSA incorporate this. Ms. Zawislanski asked for specific ideas the team can incorporate. Mr. Alawneh said he will share materials with the team later.

Discussion on PSA Concept 3: Post Your Recovery Evan Figueroa-Vargas said he liked the “r” in this concept more than the “r” in the creative design. He asked if this PSA would feature real people in recovery talking about their stories. The team confirmed real individuals living in recovery will be featured in the PSA.

Mr. Countryman did not understand from the presentation that this PSA will feature different voices. He asked if the copy on the sticky notes is what is heard in the voiceover. The team confirmed and said it would be up to the writer what to write on the sticky note.

Terrence Walton cautioned the team that he did not like the term “brother.” The team said they would find and alternative.

Mr. Figueroa-Vargas asked if it is intentional that the type of recovery is not specific. The team confirmed and said this way it speaks to more people. The team also confirmed this PSA will feature real people in recovery from both mental and substance use disorders.

Chip Fuller cautioned the team that some of this language plays into recovery clichés. For example, some of the phrasing in the PSA, like “x years sober” is 12-step specific. He said for some people, who are starting their recovery; they can lose sense of time. As a result, they don’t know when their recovery birthday is, and worries this can be exclusionary for some viewers.

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Mary Beth Collins said this PSA would resonate with faith-based communities.

Letty Elenes had a suggestion. She said she would love to see more self-empowerment. She suggested they change the language to phrases like “I’m proud of myself,” or “I did it”. The group liked this suggestion.

Michele Monroe thanked the Planning Partners for their feedback. She introduced Captain Wanda Finch.

VI. Planning Partner Ad Hoc Workgroup Introduction, Planning, & Reports – Mariel Hufnagel, Maryanne Frangules, Jason Robison, Brandee Izquierdo, & Kate Kerr

Captain Wanda Finch thanked Michele Monroe and welcomed the Planning Partners to the meeting. For new Planning Partners, she introduced the ad hoc workgroups. She began with introducing Mariel Hufnagel, chair of the Normalizing & Harmonizing Language workgroup.

Mariel Hufnagel thanked Captain Finch and introduced her co-chair, Maryanne Frangules. Ms. Hufnagel said their group is investigating the value and importance of messaging. Their hope is to have a streamlined consensus, knowing not everyone will be happy with the suggestions. She referenced their conversation earlier about the term “mental disorders.” Ms. Hufnagel emphasized language should be empowering and not disempowering. Each stakeholder is represented in this group and each of them has a voice.

The group’s goal is to create a tangible deliverable or product. They brainstormed the idea of a generalized messaging toolkit. She noted a lot of materials exist in this space and rather than re-invent the wheel, they would like to consolidate these materials and present them in a user-friendly way.

The group would also like to engage with the media. She would like the media to understand the power of imagery and words. She referenced some articles that describe a person thriving in recovery, but the imagery that accompanies the article often features a syringe.

Ms. Hufnagel noted the group is looking into multiple stakeholders and creating resources for each one, such as families, the media, behavioral health professionals, and people in recovery are the focus.

Captain Finch thanked Ms. Hufnagel and Ms. Frangules for their presentation. She introduced Steven Fry.

Steven Fry thanked Captain Finch and updated the group on the Bringing Science to Care ad hoc workgroup. Mr. Fry informed the Planning Partners that this group is looking to bring additional evidence-based practices to the Recovery Month platform. One of the main ideas the workgroup determined so far is the continuum of treatment should be supported so people with mental and substance use disorders get the support they need at the time they need it.

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Captain Finch thanked Mr. Fry for the update. Captain Finch introduced Jason Robison and Brandee Izquierdo.

Jason Robison and Brandee Izquierdo updated the group on the Addressing Access to Care workgroup. Ms. Izquierdo told the group their priority is the criminal justice system. The ad hoc workgroup would like to build efforts around drug courts, jails, prisons, and other criminal justice programs.

The workgroup is looking to build collaborative partnerships in each state to infiltrate the aforementioned systems. Ms. Izquierdo said she built a curriculum for reentry since most criminal justice programs often talk about diversion but rarely talk about preparedness. This oversight does not prepare offenders for success once they leave their program. Ms. Izquierdo introduced Jason Robison, who talked about the group’s overall goal.

They want to receive as much input as possible and spread this information to the appropriate stakeholders. He noted the Addressing Access to Care group wants to be aligned with community-based self-help support groups. The group would like to incorporate Recovery Month literature to these self-help groups with the goal of getting these groups to become involved with Recovery Month. Mr. Robison also noted they are in the process of contacting agencies and organizations that are involved in the criminal justice system.

Captain Finch thanked Ms. Izquierdo and Mr. Robison for their update and introduced Kate Kerr.

Kate Kerr updated the Planning Partners on the Content Messaging & Multimedia workgroup. The workgroup is charged with developing ideas around messaging. She noted in their last call they decided on a few goals, the first being determining three to six topics for programming and panelists.

The second goal of the group is to identify gaps in information. The workgroup would like to work with communities to identify resources they do not have and existing resources that needs improvement. Ms. Kerr informed the Planning Partners about the group’s other goals, which include developing peer training in different languages and creating a website that focuses on the discrimination people in the recovery community face.

The group is also interested in improving drug courts. The group noted that family support systems are important in the recovery process and is interested in exploring this angle as it relates to improving drug courts. Ms. Kerr also noted the group would like to develop curriculum for peer-to-peer recovery that uses evidence-based practices. She said the group explored the idea of involving clergy in their efforts to ensure they have the opportunity to be trained to support recovery efforts.

Captain Finch thanked Ms. Kerr for updating the group and introduced Ms. Hendriksson. Ms. Hendriksson thanked all the ad hoc workgroup leads for their work and encouraged the Planning Partners to consider the groups they would like to join, if they have not joined one already. She noted that the intent of the groups, which launched in March, is to have them work

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independently. She emphasized these groups are self-directed and are covering important issues the Planning Partners identified. Ms. Hendriksson asked new Planning Partners to look at the ad hoc workgroup sheet in the meeting folder to learn more about the groups.

After the lunch break, Ms. Hendriksson introduced Captain Wanda Finch. Captain Finch said the Planning Partners will now attend the workgroup breakouts. She asked the workgroup leads to complete the required items outlined in the meeting materials.

VII. Planning Partner Ad Hoc Workgroup Breakouts – Steven Fry, Michele Monroe, Captain Wanda Finch, & Amy Smith

Bringing Science to Care

Attending Members: • Devin Reaves, Harm Reduction Coalition, Facilitator • Michael Polacek, Kennesaw State University Center for Young Adult Addiction and

Recovery • Abdelwahab Alawneh, Arab and Middle East Resources Center – New Member • Steven Fry, SAMHSA Lead • Nora Younes, Crosby, Contractor Support

Attending Planning Partners/Guests: • Stacey Carpenter, Optum Behavioral Health • Dona Dmitrovic, Foundation for Recovery • Michelle Harter, Anchor Recovery Community Centers • Tom Hill, National Council for Behavioral Health • Melissa Patrick, Kansas Consumer Advisory Council for Adult Mental Health • Ivette Torres, Torres Communications • Jesse Wheeler, Recovery Data Solutions • Lauryn Wicks, Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliance

Members not in attendance: • Kristen Harper, Recovery Cube, Inc., Chair • Robert Ashford, Collegiate Recovery Community • Patricia Winters, Brave and Bold • Nick Szubiak, National Council for Behavioral Health • Zachary Talbott, Counseling Solutions of Chatsworth, LLC

Steven Fry thanked everyone for participating in the Bringing Science to Care workgroup. He noted the two chairs of the group are unable to attend the meeting but updated the new members on the overarching goal of the group. Mr. Fry said the group is trying to figure out how to have science influence and inform the messages and products for Recovery Month. He introduced Devin Reaves, who facilitated the meeting.

Devin Reaves updated the members and participants. The workgroup identified four key messages, which are:

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• recovery is possible through multiple pathways; • the continuum of care includes prevention, harm reduction, and community services; • the language we use matters; and • recovery thrives in the community.

Mr. Reaves said the group identified Recovery Month materials where these messages can be incorporated. The group would like to see these messages included in the toolkit, Road to Recovery show, and social media posts. The group also identified new ways to incorporate these messages, which include infographics and vignettes.

Jesse Wheeler asked if this group informs what audience they would like to target. Mr. Wheeler wanted to know if they are targeting a wide audience or specific groups. Since science needs to be communicated in different ways to different people. Mr. Wheeler also asked the group if there are any available metrics to gauge their success.

Steven Fry updated the new members of the group on the Recovery Month planning process. To answer Mr. Wheeler’s question on the target audience, he said the Planning Partners do inform the target audiences SAMHSA chooses for each campaign. He asked the workgroup members to focus on how to incorporate the scientific evidence into existing materials.

Ivette Torres said it might be helpful to focus on how they can educate key stakeholders to shift what is happening in the United States. She noted this workgroup can identify one or two target audiences to focus on, since the target audience for the entire Recovery Month campaign is often broad.

Tom Hill spoke about the history of the group. He said the idea behind this group is to educate the public about the science aspect of addiction and mental illness, a key aspect the public often does not know much about. He said the group can help the public understand the science. The science piece is missing and misunderstood and if the group can figure this out, maybe communities will support the recovery community more than they do now.

Stacey Carpenter echoed Mr. Hill’s point. She said she struggles with communicating the science aspect of behavioral health to healthcare providers. She noted this is a gap the workgroup could potentially fill.

Devin Reaves agreed but reiterated this workgroup is charged with getting simple messaging about science to a mass audience. He noted a three-point message is best for something as complex as this. He said the average American still think addiction is a choice and he worries if the messaging is too complex, people may not understand it.

Mr. Reaves thanked the Partners for their input thus far and proceeded to review each message the workgroup identified in prior meetings.

Mr. Reaves went through the first message, which is recovery is possible through multiple pathways. Jesse Wheeler said the message should focus on the user. Mr. Reaves agreed. Mr. Wheeler also noted that “multiple pathways” may not be the best phrase to use.

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Michelle Harter noted she is from a rural community in Rhode Island. The people in her community would probably not understand what “multiple pathways” means. She asked if the group could simplify this so people can understand. Melissa Patrick echoed Ms. Harter’s point and said she is from a frontier town, where there are not recovery support services. Most people access support in another state. She likes the idea that you can access recovery services in multiple ways.

Lauryn Wicks agreed the general public will most likely not understand what “multiple pathways” means. She personally uses the term “remission” to help educate people about recovery, since most are familiar with this term. She said this usually resonates with people and suggested the workgroup could possibly incorporate a phrase like “recovery is like being in remission from another long-term medical condition”.

Tom Hill noted he personally did not like term “remission.” He said it fits for some conditions, but not recovery since there are no symptoms. The recovery process is very different in terms of people reclaiming their lives. He said the science message should focus on that aspect. Mr. Hill used MAT as an example. He noted recovery support is essential and medication and psychosocial support are not always available in every community. He said we can use terms people are familiar with to talk about this aspect.

Mr. Reaves asked if the group agreed with the messaging: recovery is possible through multiple pathways. The group agreed with the message but thought “multiple pathways” should be changed. Mr. Reaves made a note of this.

Mr. Reaves presented the workgroup with the second message: the continuum of care includes prevention, harm reduction, and community services.

Ms. Carpenter said the first thought she had when she read this message was it takes a village. Ms. Torres emphasized that public health would work well here. Mr. Reaves noted harm reduction is often forgotten, which is why he included it in this message.

Dona Dmitrovic said continuum of care is not for everyone. Treatment may not be a part of everyone’s recovery journey. Mr. Reaves said the term “continuum of care” is similar to “multiple pathways”. It is hard for someone outside of the recovery community to understand these terms. He suggested they change this message to “Different people need different resources at different times to support their recovery process”. Ms. Wicks asked if they could include language around maintaining recovery.

Mr. Reaves said he prefers to use either “recovery is a process that requires different things at different times” or “Recovery is a lifelong process that requires different things at different times.”

Mr. Fry said people often say addiction is a disease and it is commonly coupled with “you cannot do it alone”. Mr. Fry said this messaging often gets people’s attention. People need help to recover and there are different ways to recover. He noted it is important to say you can recover from the disease of addiction and mental illness. There is ample science to support these

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messages. He suggested the group reference the Surgeon General’s line that recognizes these issues as diseases.

Mr. Reaves presented the third message: the language we use matters and impacts people and communities. Mr. Reaves noted John Kelly and Robert Ashford are doing a lot of research in the area of the third message and the workgroup can link to this when talking about this message.

Mr. Reaves presented the fourth and final message, which is recovery thrives in the community. He noted Mr. Wheeler asked to change the message to be more user focused. Mr. Reaves presented the following change: people thrive in recovery-oriented communities.

Mr. Wheeler suggested the message could include “addiction is not a choice”. Mr. Reaves said this could be a possible fifth message. Mr. Reaves suggested the following new message, “Addiction, often called a substance use disorder, is a valid serious medical condition that impacts millions of people every day”.” Ms. Wicks liked the new phrase and said it is a relatable way to communicate addiction. She asked if we could add a line in about mental health. Mr. Reaves agreed and said this workgroup should wait to hear what the language workgroup suggests. Ms. Carpenter suggested the workgroup include studies on will power and decision fatigue. The workgroup agreed.

Mr. Reaves asked how the workgroup can incorporate their messaging into the toolkit. The workgroup liked the infographic and vignette suggestions. Ms. Torres also suggested the workgroup include op-eds about the science behind these issues.

Abdelwahab Alawneh said the messages do not include any scientific language. He is concerned the messages do not communicate the science piece. Ms. Wicks agreed and said the workgroup should tie the language to science as often as possible. Mr. Hill also agreed with Mr. Alawneh’s point and suggested the messages start with the science.

Mr. Reaves reiterated these are now five broad themes they can further develop scientific messaging around.

Ms. Wicks suggested the message to the public can simply be, “here is the science”. Mr. Hill said harm reduction has a lot of science that explains why it works. Mr. Reaves agreed but cautioned the average person may not pay attention to these messages if they lead with hard to understand scientific language. Ms. Wicks disagreed and said the workgroup should lead with the science.

Ms. Torres said the next step is to link each of these messages to the science.

Mr. Reaves thanked the participants for their hard work and invited them to join the next conference call. He also said he will send a follow-up email, which will recap this discussion. Mr. Fry reminded new Planning Partners to email him if they want to be in this group. Content Messaging & Multimedia

Attending Members: • Kate Kerr, Addiction Treatment Services, Chair

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• Javier Alegre, Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness • Carol Boyer, Delphi Behavioral Health • Janie Gullickson, Mental Health Association of Oregon • Rev. Snow Peabody, Team Challenge, USA • John de Miranda, National Association on Alcohol Drugs and Disability • Michele Monroe, SAMHSA Lead • Tamika Hawkins, Crosby, Contractor Support

Attending Planning Partners/Guests: • Jeff Boss • Holly Hagle, Addiction Technology Transfer Center Network • Nancy Hale, Operation UNITE • Cortney Lovell, Our Wellness Collective • Joe Powell, Association of Persons Affected by Addiction • Harvey Weiss, Synergies

Members not in attendance: • Kimberly Marquez-Cortes, Copeland Center of Wellness and Recovery, National

Consumer Technical Assistance Center (TAC), Doors to Wellbeing • Juan Velez Court, Fundación Nuestra Mente • Laura Silverman, The Sobriety Collective • Chien-Chi Huang, Asian Women for Health

Kate Kerr welcomed the workgroup and thanked them for their participation. She had a list of nine things to consider for advertisements in 2019. They are: implementing addiction; peer services; peer training in different languages; harm reduction principles; Road to Recovery website with a focus on discrimination and stigma; targeted outreach to professionals brought in to treat substance use disorder and mental health; working with populations exiting incarceration; stronger family support services with an emphasis on rural communities; and outreach/support with faith-based groups and clergy.

Ms. Kerr began to speak about the importance of providing family support services in rural communities. She noted when individuals go back to their rural communities, some of that support gets lost, and especially for people who are new to the recovery process.

Rev. Peabody suggested one episode of Road to Recovery focus on this issue. He suggested one panelist could be someone who found family support services and the other be a service provider who learned best practices surrounding this issue.

Javier Alegre noted he is from a rural state. His program has been hosting a family support group for eight years, which is growing, and the benefits are visible. His organization focuses on providing families with cognitive support and tangible tools to handle an individual with addiction. Families who attend this group find a safe space for themselves to connect with others dealing with the same issue. Many of the participants feel they learned to communicate better with their loved one facing addiction. This support group is now in ten counties in Utah and has 36 volunteers across the state. Mr. Alegre also noted this model is self-sustaining and something the community can use.

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There are families in other rural communities, and they can create this center of support among the community. Ms. Hagle wondered if this model can be implemented in faith-based communities. She noted many clergy members are not trained to help people who want to either get in recovery or maintain their recovery. She also noted that clergy members are often very involved with their communities. Mr. Alegre said a lot of the groups in his program are faith-based. He also said these groups are translated into Spanish.

Ms. Kerr asked if a family member from Mr. Alegre’s program would be willing to share and talk about their experience. Mr. Alegre said a number of volunteers and facilitators would be willing to talk about this program.

Janie Gullickson said peer services with teenagers is spreading and finding success. She also said there are multi-disciplinary activities in hospital settings. This includes recovery mentors and peer supports. This is helpful when someone is leaving a hospital setting and moving on to the next step.

Rev. Peabody asked if there are any other settings in rural communities, apart from hospitals and urgent care that would benefit from having these services integrated into their institution.

Ms. Kerr said her organization is trying to figure out how to make resources more accessible across a large, rural range.

Rev. Peabody emphasized this is a great issue for one or two of the Road to Recovery episodes. He said one episode could focus on how to provide care for a person in a rural community, and the second episode can focus on what is currently available.

Cortney Lovell said she liked the idea of incorporating harm reduction. She said the biggest disconnect is between harm reduction, the treatment world, and the recovery world. Ms. Lovell said hospitals are the best place to show this interaction.

John de Miranda said the messaging around harm reduction is critical. He suggested the workgroup use early intervention instead of harm reduction.

Joe Powell said his organization does something similar. They have peers in hospitals, treatment centers, and jails. They try to integrate peers where they need to be. He said it is about recovery-oriented systems of care.

Ms. Gullickson said a program called Improving Addiction Care Team is submitting an article to JAMA on their work.

Ms. Lovell suggested the workgroup use “recovery readiness” instead of “harm reduction”. Mr. de Miranda said he does not see the connection between the two terms.

Ms. Hagle said she would like the workgroup to think about early intervention. Ms. Kerr noted this is an issue in two of the nine topics, family/unit/peer-to-peer recovery advocacy, and whole systems approach to recovery and care.

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Jeff Boss said while the recovery field is knowledgeable, they need to meet people at their base. He suggested the workgroup integrate this into schools, so you can educate people in different modalities that work in different systems. He used the native groups in rural Alaska as an example. The native groups need specific messaging considerations and the best way to reach this community is in schools.

Mr. Powell agreed with Mr. Boss and added that every time his organization goes into a new community, they must look at how they can best attract the community to use their services. Michele Monroe agreed and added that this is about meeting people where they are. She also added that they can repurpose past Road to Recovery episodes and identify sound bites that address these issues. These sound bites could be shared on Facebook.

Mr. Powell said the Facebook page should share the number of Recovery Month events. Ms. Monroe agreed and shared there were more than 1,600 reported events last year.

Ms. Kerr said her organization integrates the same messaging across different services. For example, they had a text campaign that was also shared on Facebook. The workgroup liked this idea and said the Planning Partners can look at the Herron Project as an example.

Addressing Access to Care

Attending Members: • Brandee Izquierdo, Faces and Voices of Recovery, Chair • Jason Robison, Self-Help and Recovery Exchange, Los Angeles, Co-Chair • Lauren Davis, Washington Recovery Alliance • Evan Figueroa-Vargas, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania • Captain Wanda Finch, SAMHSA Lead • Mansie Hough, Crosby, Contractor Support

Attending Planning Partners/Guests: • Kateri Coyhis, White Bison • Letty Elenes, TAC of Door to Wellbeing Copeland Center of Wellness and

Recovery • Cathy Khaledi, Nar-Anon Family Groups, Inc. • Lureen McNeil, New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse

Services • George O’Toole, Anchor Recovery Community Center, Providence Center

Members not in attendance: • Mimi McKay • John J. Coppola, Alcoholism & Substance Abuse Providers of New York State, Inc. • Kimber Lee Falkinburg, Spread Hope Like Fire

Jason Robison thanked everyone for joining the Address Access to Care workgroup and updated the new members. The group is focusing on the criminal justice system and self-help groups. He also noted the workgroup is interested in schools, tribal communities (including their specific

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criminal justice systems,) and faith-based communities. Evan Figueroa-Vargas said he would like the group to also include safe injection sites and harm reduction.

Brandee Izquierdo said she wanted the group to also focus on early diversion programs.

Lauren Davis said emergency departments are big access points and often missed opportunities. Ms. Davis said family education is another access point the workgroup can consider. Ms. Izquierdo agreed and added truant supports/truancy courts for juveniles are also a great access point.

Mr. Figueroa-Vargas expressed his hesitancy on this issue because a lot of it is reactive. He said we should provide access to care before people hit rock bottom.

Lureen McNeil said she works with people who are in residential treatment. She likes them to focus on areas of life that will be important in their recovery, such as family and children. Ms. McNeil also noted that there are vibrant and productive recovery communities in faith-based programs. Mr. Robison said this workgroup can leverage existing systems and connect these people with the breadth and scope of what is available in recovery.

Letty Elenes would like the workgroup to focus more on schools. She noted most students are unaware of their options and it would be prudent to give them the information they need so they can make a decision regarding the chaos in their lives. Ms. Elenes also noted most parents turn to schools as well if they do not know what is going on with their child.

Ms. Davis suggested promoting more education in adult settings such as primary care clinics, or employee assistance programs, not just schools. She noted recovery coaches are a key resource in this. She added that they should also think about trauma, particularly trauma’s connection to substance use in children. Screening and prevention are large components of this.

Mr. Robison said recovery as a process should be broadened and normalized in schools rather than taught as something that is available if you are in trouble. Recovery is a way of being and a way to live. He also noted that when the group started, they had connections to self-help groups and associations in the criminal justice system. He asked the workgroup what they want to organize around, what they want to do, and what kind of impact they want to have.

Ms. McNeil said the workgroup should think about different target populations. There may not be doable actions with each target group, but they can create resources accessible for all people. She referenced a program in New York she works with that uses a generic template for an action plan that can be used to target different populations who have similar goals. Mr. Robison said a template like this would be helpful and useful for lots of people in different areas and populations.

Ms. Izquierdo agreed and said a template like the one Ms. McNeil referenced would be useful if it breaks things down by stages and sections. This template can help normalize recovery and it is proactive rather than reactive. Ms. Izquierdo said the workgroup should develop metrics to measure their success and gauge if they are meeting their goals and objectives.

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Mr. Robison said the template would be to create an action plan and assess performance indicators. Ms. McNeil clarified the template will help answer questions, such as who you collaborate with, how to connect with people who can teach you social media, what does this population need, etc.

Ms. Izquierdo said the workgroup needs to first develop a goal for the template. Mr. Robison noted the group talked about targeting schools, the criminal justice system, and the healthcare system. He asked the group think about what the template would look like addressing these different audiences.

Ms. Elenes noted that she is unclear if this template provides guidance on how to plan an event, create a program, or something else entirely. Mr. Robison said it would look more like a workplan. Ms. Elenes said a template like this exists in spades and feels like the workgroup is doing unnecessary work. Mr. Robison clarified the template helps people increase access to care for different populations.

Ms. McNeil agreed with Mr. Robison and said this template can help normalize recovery. In her mind, this template is an action plan and it is an initiative.

Mr. Figueroa-Vargas believes the template can only do so much.

Ms. Elenes asked if the template is going to address past trauma and acknowledge inequities amongst drug users. She emphasized the workgroup needs to talk about this for the materials to resonate with people. In her community, many people seek help in faith-based systems because they are afraid of deportation since talking about drug use usually lands you in jail.

Ms. McNeil noted these topics are emotional and a simple action plan might be more helpful than the workgroup realizes. She advised that the template should be simple and unique to each of the populations the workgroup discussed. She said they can create a foundational template and make necessary tweaks to tailor it to specific communities.

Ms. Izquierdo asked the workgroup to think about tangible materials needed to create a template for the criminal justice system. The workgroup determined the following items:

• Require access to data of overdoses, both fatal and nonfatal, within jails and prisons • Determine correlation between release from jail/prison and overdoses, both fatal and

nonfatal • Identify access to substance use disorders and mental health rehabilitation and programs • Identify target populations currently incarcerated to determine appropriate language that

are culturally attuned.

Kateri Coyhis said population data is also needed. She noted there is not a lot of data on Native Americans. She asked the workgroup to pay attention to developing culturally attuned materials.

George O’Toole noted the importance of MAT in prison settings and of recovery coaching. Mr. O’Toole brings recovery coaches into prisons and the prisoners are responding to the coaching. In his state, recovery coaches pick people up the day they are released from prison. This helps people reintegrate into society and sets them up for success. Ms. Izquierdo mentioned the life

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without parole population has an impact on outside communities. This population is willing to help youth and young adults in the recovery process. She asked this population to be included. Mr. O’Toole agreed.

Captain Finch said she loved the conversation thus far and asked the members to not lose sight of the fact that recovery is for everyone.

Ms. Coyhis asked if the templates would be using Recovery Month as the dissemination platform. Captain Finch said that it is up to Planning Partners.

The group assigned the following subject matters to workgroup members: • Brandee: Criminal justice system • Letty: Schools • George: ED programs • Jason: Self-help support groups • Cathy: Self-help groups • Eduardo: Homeless population and harm reduction • Kateri: Tribal communities • Lauren: TBD – may not have time • Lureen: General template/action plan.

The workgroup also decided to bring templated action plans populated for their specific groups to the next workgroup meeting in October. Each member should build and bring a list of needs, indicators, goals, questions, etc., for their individual group. The workgroup decided on the following sample template:

• Goal: Create a proactive approach for normalizing recovery. • Identify: Who, what, when, where, how? • Identify: Common elements that apply to any population or setting.

Mr. Robison will email a poll for the last two weeks in October with dates to see people’s availability for the next call.

Normalizing & Harmonizing Language

Attending Members • Mariel Hufnagel, The Ammon Foundation, Chair • Maryanne Frangules, Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery, Co-Chair • Mary Beth Collins, National Association for Children of Addiction • Jeremy Countryman, Family Café • Chip Fuller, Northwest Georgia Treatment Center • Claire Ricewasser, Al-Anon • Danielle Tarino, Addiction Policy Forum • Amy Smith, SAMHSA Lead • Florence Pique-Monnier, Crosby, Contractor Support

Attending Planning Partners/Guests: • Donald McDonald, Addiction Professionals of North Carolina

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• Keegan Wicks, The RASE Project (Participant)

Members not in attendance: • Bill Greer, SMART Recovery® • Theresa O'Laughlin, Faces & Voices of Recovery • Arielle Ashford, Friends Hospital • Miguel Torres, PRO-ACT • Elise Padilla, National Alliance on Mental Illness

The workgroup decided on the following goals/deliverables: • Develop a suite of messaging tools for seven audience buckets. • Host a panelist media event to serve as kickoff for Recovery Month and launch pad for

toolkit for media.

The workgroup also decided the audience matters and identified the following audiences for messaging:

• Families/Allies • Youth • Medical community/health professionals • Law enforcement • Persons with mental health or substance use disorders • Faith-based groups • Media, which is the initial focus

The workgroup then discussed the toolkit and the types of materials it would include. One member suggested they include a list of questions that can help someone elevate their own processes, such as, “Have you asked someone how they want to be referred to?”

Another workgroup member said the framework for this is that people in recovery should drive the conversation around how their experiences are portrayed. The workgroup liked this idea and said the tone of the toolkit should be about how to portray recovery in the most effective way.

The workgroup decided to use the DSM as their guide for cultivating perception. The toolkit is more than changing the words someone uses to describe someone in recovery; it is about changing the perception of these individuals. The workgroup wondered if the final toolkit should include infographics portraying data that would be relevant to change the minds of members of the media who cover these issues. The workgroup also wondered if they should include a glossary. The group agreed.

Next, the workgroup discussed the Recovery Month kick-off event. The workgroup determined the 30th anniversary of Recovery Month is the perfect time to introduce the toolkit. The event will be an educational experience for the media, which will include reporters from top-tier media outlets as well as local media outlets and journalist associations. The workgroup would also like to include people with lived experiences to share their stories and help the media understand why language matters. The workgroup thought a media outlet could sponsor the event. The sponsor will also be responsible for printing the materials since SAMHSA does not print.

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The workgroup wondered what SAMHSA needs to get this project approved. They decided a one-page proposal to submit to SAMHSA would be ideal. The proposal will include what the group aims to do and the kind of support they need. Mariel Hufnagel volunteered to develop the first draft of the proposal and will send it to the rest of the workgroup members on September 6, 2018. Ms. Hufnagel asked the workgroup provide feedback by close of business Friday, September 7, 2018. Once the proposal is approved by the workgroup, Ms. Hufnagel will submit to Amy Smith by close of business September 10, 2018. Ms. Smith said approval will take time, as she needs to send it around to multiple people.

VIII. Planning Partner Ad Hoc Workgroup Breakout Reports – Mariel Hufnagel, Maryanne Frangules, Devin Reaves, Jason Robison, Brandee Izquierdo, & Kate Ker

Marla Hendriksson reintroduced Captain Wanda Finch to begin the Planning Partner ad hoc workgroup breakout reports. Captain Finch reintroduced Mariel Hufnagel and Maryanne Frangules to update the Planning Partners on the Normalizing & Harmonizing Language workgroup.

Ms. Hufnagel and Ms. Frangules said they had a great workgroup session and want to capitalize on the momentum the workgroup members showed during their breakout session. The workgroup decided they want to create a suite of messaging tools and toolkits that cover the many different aspects of recovery. They would like the messaging included in the suite of materials to be empowering and destigmatizing. They hope the materials help members of the media realize you talk about different groups differently.

The long-term goal of the workgroup is to develop seven different messages for the seven identified audiences. Ms. Hufnagel and Ms. Frangules pitched the idea to the Planning Partners and SAMHSA to do a panelist event to unveil the suite of materials next year during the Recovery Month kick-off event in lieu of the annual press conference. The panelist event will feature both members of the media and people who are in recovery. The workgroup thinks this event will be a teachable moment that will have a lasting impact on journalists.

Captain Finch thanked Ms. Hufnagel and Ms. Frangules and reintroduced Devin Reaves to update the group on the Bringing Science to Care workgroup. Mr. Reaves said the group identified a few messages that are backed by science. The workgroup would like to reference different academic journals in each of these messages. The Bringing Science to Care workgroup would like to create a toolkit, which introduces these messages. They would also like to include these messages in future PSAs, social media posts, and the Road to Recovery television show.

Captain Finch thanked Mr. Reaves and reintroduced George O’Toole from the Addressing Access to Care workgroup. Mr. O’Toole said access points were a main concern for the workgroup. Other points of interest the group discussed were how to proactively screen for trauma, normalize recovery, and address disparities in care. In terms of next steps, the workgroup assigned each member with creating a workplan in their area of expertise, which they will present in October.

Captain Finch thanked Mr. O’Toole and reintroduced Kate Kerr from the Content Messaging & Multimedia workgroup. Ms. Kerr said the workgroup talked about communicating with multiple

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groups of people. The goal behind the group is to communicate effectively to multiple audiences the different resources that are available in their community. The workgroup identified four important areas they would like to focus on early intervention and harm reduction, prevention, family support services, and peer-to-peer services. Ms. Kerr emphasized the workgroup would like to focus on rural areas as they do not have the same kinds of access to care as other demographics. The workgroup would like to develop fact sheets in different languages to help educate people in these areas. The workgroup would also like to profile different community groups that provide resources so people in that community are aware of the services in their area.

Captain Finch thanked Ms. Kerr and noticed there are several running themes in some of the workgroups and asked the workgroups to collaborate when needed. Captain Finch thanked the Planning Partners for participating in the ad-hoc workgroups and reintroduced Marla Hendriksson.

IX. Important Recovery Month Planning Partner Meeting & Event Dates – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT

Ms. Hendriksson thanked Captain Finch and proceeded to review important upcoming meeting dates with the Planning Partners. She acknowledged the time the Planning Partners set aside to come to this meeting. Ms. Hendriksson knows everyone’s time is important she appreciates their participation.

Ms. Hendriksson clarified what it means to be a Planning Partner. She asked Planning Partners to identify two members from their organization. She also acknowledged their attendance to this meeting reaffirms their membership. In order to continue being a Planning Partner, members must attend four meetings a year, two of which are in person, and two are teleconferences. Ms. Hendriksson stressed their participation in the ad-hoc workgroups is valuable as each of them is a voice for recovery.

January 31, 2019 is the next meeting at SAMHSA and March 14, 2019 is the next teleconference meeting. She noted more information will be available as the meeting dates get closer. Ms. Hendriksson also noted the June 27, 2019 teleconference. She also noted some of the 2020 dates are still to be determined and she will let Planning Partners know when SAMHSA decides on dates.

X. New Business – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT

Ms. Hendriksson introduced Tom Hill to give an update on the 2018 National Recovery Month Luncheon, sponsored by the National Council for Behavioral Health, tomorrow, September 6. Mr. Hill thanked Ms. Hendriksson. He noted the luncheon program is two hours and will be tightly scripted. He emphasized his organization valued hosting this year’s luncheon and encouraged others to host future luncheons. Mr. Hill noted that the luncheon is not a SAMHSA event, and SAMHSA does not pay for the luncheon. He added that most likely, next year’s host will have to fundraise for the event.

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Ms. Hendriksson opened the floor to the Planning Partners to discuss amongst themselves Planning Partner organizations interested in hosting the 2019 National Recovery Month Luncheon. Ivette Torres noted in the past, smaller organizations paired up to host the luncheon. Ms. Torres said this luncheon is a great way to get people involved in their organization’s activities. Mariel Hufnagel, from The Ammon Foundation, offered for her organization to host the 2019 luncheon. Planning Partners voted in agreement for The Ammon Foundation to host in 2019.

XI. Adjournment – Marla Hendriksson, Acting Director, Office of Consumer Affairs, CSAT

Ms. Hendriksson thanked the Planning Partners for a productive meeting. She emphasized the work they do together helps saves lives. She once again asked people to post their events on the board and on the website.

Ms. Hendriksson also thanked her staff for helping plan the event. She pointed to the logistics document in the folders, which reviews important information on how to get to the National Recovery Month 2019 Kick-Off Event tomorrow at HHS Headquarters in Washington, DC. Ms. Hendriksson also reminded the Planning Partners to bring their current government-issued identification card, for access into the HHS building. Ms. Hendriksson asked if anyone had any last-minute items to add.

Ms. Torres thanked Ms. Hendriksson for doing a wonderful job. The Planning Partners as a group thanked Ms. Hendriksson as well.

Amy Smith also asked the Planning Partners to set aside the 2019 dates and to look out for the 2020 dates.

2019 Recovery Month Planning Partner dates: • January 31, 2019 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Meeting at SAMHSA (New Date) • March 14, 2019 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Teleconference • June 27, 2019 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Teleconference • September 4, 2019 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Meeting at SAMHSA • September 5, 2019 – National Recovery Month Kick-off Event

Proposed 2020 Recovery Month Planning Partner dates: • January 23, 2020 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Meeting at SAMHSA • March 12 or 19, 2020 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Teleconference • June 18 or 25, 2020 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Teleconference • September 9, 2020 – Recovery Month Planning Partners Meeting at SAMHSA • September 10, 2020 – National Recovery Month Kick-Off Event

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Ms. Hendriksson thanked the Planning Partners and adjourned the meeting.

XII. Action Items

Planning Partners should post their events on the Recovery Month website, at https://recoverymonth.gov/events/post-events. Planning Partners should also encourage their members/affiliates to post events as well.

Planning Partners need to post their proclamations on the Recovery Month website. Send PDF copies of the proclamations to recoverymonth@samhsa.hhs.gov for posting.

For assistance with events or proclamations contact Darlene Sagheer at Darlene.Sagheer@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Mr. Alawneh to send materials to SAMHSA staff on how the PSAs can be more culturally appropriate.

Planning Partners to email Michele Monroe at Michele.Monroe@samhsa.hhs.gov regarding the Ad Hoc workgroups they want to join.

Devin Reaves to email the Bringing Science to Care participants to highlight what the group discussed during their breakout session and identify a date for the next workgroup call.

All Ad Hoc workgroups need to complete the required items included below and submit to their SAMHSA staff lead. Each workgroup will set a project goal, identify strategies, and develop a work plan

with a schedule and specific action items. The group will determine the outputs and expected outcomes of their project(s),

including how to utilize the Recovery Month platform to achieve their goal. Mr. Robison to send schedule an October call with the Addressing Access to Care Ad Hoc

workgroup. Ms. Hufnagel to send one-page proposal on behalf of the Normalizing & Harmonizing

Language Ad Hoc workgroup to Amy Smith by September 10, 2018. Amy Smith to send the one-page proposal from the Normalizing & Harmonizing Language

Ad Hoc workgroup around SAMHSA for approval. Planning Partners to identify two members in their organization to join as Planning Partners,

with approval from their organization, send the two representative’s name, contact information and a description of the organization to Darlene Sagheer at Darlene.Sagheer@samhsa.hhs.gov.

Ms. Hufnagel to send confirmation of The Ammon Foundation’s commitment to host the 2019 National Recovery Month Luncheon to SAMHSA’s Recovery Month Team for inclusion in the meeting minutes. NOTE: The National Recovery Month Luncheon is not a SAMHSA-sponsored event.

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