Colorado Springs programs respond to changing attitudes about addiction, though stigma remains high
While attitudes about addiction to drugs and alcohol are changing to reflect more acceptance and understanding, the industry is not keeping pace with the cultural shift, a recent nationwide study concludes.
“The challenge now is that our policies, systems and institutions have not fully caught up with what the public already believes,” Faces & Voices of Recovery’s CEO Patty McCarthy noted.
The shift is characterized by a move away from moral judgment toward a public health perspective, increased personal connection and growing support for government funding, according to the report.
Leaders of Serenity Recovery Connection in Colorado Springs say the organization is seeing the same trends as the national advocacy group.
“The redirection is really important because the more people that realize there could be an opportunity to be in recovery, the more people we can help,” said Serenity Recovery Connection CEO Sheri Trahern.
The nonprofit organization was founded in 2014 and trains and provides recovery assistance to former and active drug and alcohol users and their families in El Paso, Teller, Park, Fremont, Custer, and Chaffee counties. It’s the only “recovery community organization” in Colorado to be accredited by the Council on Accreditation of Peer Recovery Support Services.
**Serenity Recovery Connection does not offer housing, detox, or medication-assisted treatment. We are dedicated to providing free one-on-one peer recovery support and maintaining a comprehensive, no-cost online resource library to connect you with additional recovery services.**
