Facing Addiction - A Pilot Program

There are millions of people affected by a substance use disorder everyday. Thousands die from opioid use. Lives are turned upside down and inside out. Parents lose their children extinguishing their flame for hope. Children lose their parents sending them into the same vicious cycle of drug abuse and criminal recidivism. There are those that want out of that cycle and seek help but are met with a series of postponements that have all too often led to their demise.

What are we suppose to do as a community? The option are limited and reactionary. There are various 12 - Step programs, there are treatment centers, treatment courts, detox centers and all of these have been around for a significant amount of time. However, they are first and foremost reactions to a significant growing problem. If the problem is growing there has to be another solution. Enter the Facing Addiction Pilot Program

 We don't know the answer either, but we're going to find out. As a self-proclaimed American Criminal

who has myself struggled with this very issue losing my son in the process, I know first hand what a toll it takes on individuals as well as families. This pilot program is set out to uncover the root causes of this substance use disorder and nip it in the bud. At the forefront of this concept is the reality that so many people believe there is no hope for a drug addict. That they are lost souls that will never do any good for society or their community and therefore should be locked away until they die. There is a video going around that expresses the idea that having a substance use disorder is a choice of the weak. This comes from ignorance and a faulty perception of recovery. We want to flip the script and change the perception of what a person in long term recovery can become.

As of right now we are in phase 1 of a multi-phase progressive program. This is the phase where we build networks,

garner support from the community and spread the word. We don't know what the end result will be, but when you get law enforcement, criminals, and the community all behind the same issue to tackle a problem...You can bet something great will happen.

To give you an idea of how significant of a factor this can be, a law was passed and is currently waiting to be signed that allows for law enforcement to be called if someone overdoses without fear. In essence the law allows for a bystander to call 911 to get help for an overdose. When the police arrive NOTHING they see, find, or confiscate will be able to be used to prosecute anyone. This came after several people have had their children die from an overdose because the bystanders were afraid to call for help out of fear of prosecution. This law shows that legislators are on the right track.

This law was advocated by the National Facing Addiction Organization, the same organization that has launched this pilot program.

If you're interested in how you can help and be a part of something bigger than yourself, check out the FB page, It has become the official/unofficial hub of information for the Springfield, Missouri pilot community project. Whether you have life experience dealing with drugs or alcohol, know someone who struggles with it, or work in an industry/field that deals with people who have a substance use disorder and you suffer from a significant case of compassion wishing you could help but don't know how or where to turn, we can use your voice. We have those currently in long term recovery, lawyers, law enforcement and counselors working together to find a solution to this national epidemic. Help us, help the community.

The two most important days in your life are the day you are born and the day you find out why.

—Mark Twain