Advocates Recognized for Outstanding Achievement at National Event - Broadcaster Pat O’Brien Speaks Out About Recovery from Addiction

(PRWEB) June 27, 2012

Faces & Voices of Recovery has awarded four activists and one grassroots community organization for their contributions advocating for the rights of people and their families in or seeking recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs. Emmy-award winning reporter and anchor Pat O’Brien spoke, explaining that addiction is not a moral problem and the importance of being a voice of recovery.

The individuals and organizations that received awards were:

Vernon Johnson award

•     Rev. Dr. Robert Gilmore, Sr., Real Urban Ministry, Houston, TX

Rev. Gilmore founded Real Urban Ministry, Inc. in 1989 to provide technical assistance, training and education to over 800 community and faith leaders in the Houston/Harris County, TX region. A Vietnam-era veteran, his book, "A True Story: Hope After Dope, From a Drug Addict to a Doctor," puts a "face and voice" to offer hope and advocate for recovery to address addiction.

•     Walter Ginter, National Alliance for Medication-Assisted Recovery, New York, NY

Walter is the Project Director of the Medication-Assisted Recovery Services (MARS) Project and the leading face and voice of medication-assisted treatment and recovery in the US. The MARS model is in the process of being replicated nationwide, integrating the use of peer-based recovery support services within methadone maintenance programs, a truly historic development.

•     Rosemary Tisch, Celebrating Families!™, Saratoga, CA

Rosemary has dedicated her life to breaking the cycle of addiction in families. Over the last eleven years, she has focused on the development and implementation of Celebrating Families!™ - an evidence-based, multi-family skill building curriculum focused on whole family recovery from the National Association for Children of Alcoholics.
Lisa Mojer-Torres award

•     Jeff Blodgett, St. Paul, MN

In celebration of Faces & Voices 10th anniversary, Jeff’s tireless work in planning the St. Paul Summit and launching Faces & Voices of Recovery is being honored. As Project Coordinator of the Alliance Project, he brought the recovery community and national allies together to build a national campaign; helped craft Faces & Voices mobilizing, messaging, strategy and Core Statement of Principles.
Joel Hernandez award

•     Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery (MOAR), Boston, MA

MOAR was founded in 1991 by Maryanne Frangules and a group of volunteers, inspired by Senator Harold Hughes, a former US Senator in recovery. MOAR works to 1). Organize people in recovery, families and friends 2). Educate policy makers and the general public and 3). Demonstrate that recovery is real and an asset to all communities in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Award recipients were selected from nominees submitted by organizations and advocates from across the U.S. The recipients were featured at an awards benefit that included former Congressman Patrick Kennedy; National Institute on Drug Abuse Director Dr. Nora Volkow; White House Office of National Drug Control Policy Deputy Director of State, Local and Tribal Affairs, Benjamin Tucker; and leaders of the nation’s addiction recovery advocacy movement. The awards ceremony fosters excellence in advocacy related to recovery from addiction. The event honors the legacies of three addiction recovery trailblazers who dedicated their lives to removing barriers for individuals and families affected by addiction: Johnson Institute founder, Dr. Vernon E. Johnson, and recovery advocates, Joel Hernandez and Lisa Mojer-Torres. The event was co-hosted by the Hazelden Foundation’s Center for Public Advocacy.

The award recipients and Faces & Voices of Recovery-supported recovery community organizations nationwide have launched local and state campaigns to support people in or seeking recovery from addiction and their families. Their efforts seek to end discriminatory laws that keep people who are no longer using alcohol and other drugs from jobs, housing and other services. They develop and deliver innovative peer recovery support services including a growing network of recovery community centers. The advocates also educate the public and policymakers about the reality of recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs.

The award recipients were also part of a successful campaign to end insurance discrimination facing people with addiction. That campaign led to passage of the historic Paul Wellstone and Pete Domenici Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and the inclusion of addiction services in the Affordable Care Act. These new laws remove barriers to treatment and recovery for the more than 23 million Americans who have yet to get the help they need to recover from addiction.

To learn more about the 2012 America Honors Recovery Award recipients go to
http://www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org/about/trainings_events/ahr_2012/awardees_2012.php.

Interviews of the awardees and speakers are available upon request.

About Faces & Voices of Recovery
Faces & Voices of Recovery is organizing the over 23 million Americans in recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs, their families, friends and allies in a campaign to end discrimination; broaden social understanding; and achieve a just response to addiction as a public health crisis.

About Hazelden's Center for Public Advocacy
Hazelden’s Center for Public Advocacy exists to improve public understanding of alcoholism and drug addiction by serving as a leading national expert on issues related to addiction, treatment and recovery. In 2009 The Johnson Institute transferred key program, including America Honors Recovery, to Hazelden’s Center for Public Advocacy to keep the Johnson Institute’s 43-year legacy alive for future generations.