Stories from Utah
Now’s your chance to let Congress know you’re passionate about CARA!
Both the Senate and House have passed versions of the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act. Conferees from both bodies are currently meeting in what’s known as “conference” to finalize one bill that will go to the President’s desk for signature and passage into law.
It’s critically important that the conferees hear from you, their home district and state constituents!
Share a link to the below stories (or tweet your own!) with U.S. Senator Orrin Hatch (Utah) on Twitter: @SenOrrinHatch. If you’re not on Twitter, share your story with us here.
“After 20 years of recovery and sobriety, I quit my job as an independent school headmaster — to become the Director of the Summit County Recovery Foundation (which supports recovery and Drug Court in Summit County, UT). Why? 75–80% of the incarcerated suffer from substance abuse or addiction. 129 Americans die daily from overdose, 79 from opioids. The United States is 5% of the world’s population, has 25% of the world’s incarcerated population.
Why? Our country failed the War on Drugs. When the largest mental health facility in most US counties is the local jail, we have a problem to resolve. $.90 of every dollar spent in jails is committed to punishment; less than $.05 is earmarked for rehabilitation and recovery. We cannot arrest our way out of addiction, a public health crisis. I know of what I write. My son, David, is sitting in prison due to crimes committed as an opiate addict. He needs recovery and mental health care, not incarceration. End the Silence! Recovery must be a national priority. Time to affect a change!” -Roy Parker | Park City, Utah
“Addiction prevention and recovery is vital to the health of our country! Through the support of treatment and peer support services, I have reached long-term recovery myself and am now giving back to the recovery community.”
-Brian Nielson | Salt Lake City, Utah
