Building Bridges: Enhancing Global Recovery Systems for International Recovery Day

ISSUP Global, in collaboration with the Recovered Users Network (RUN), invites you to a joint webinar titled "Building Bridges: Enhancing Global Recovery Systems for International Recovery Day," in celebration of International Recovery Day.

Date: Monday, 30th September 2024

Time: 3:00PM CEST| 2:00 PM UK | 9:00 AM EST

Register for the Webinar

This 90-minute webinar will feature a three-session panel discussion based on the three key pillars of the Global Recovery Paper (Best, Nisic, Patton & Goic, 2023).

Strengths - Recovery as a Strength-Based Concept: This session will explore recovery as a concept focused on individual strengths, featuring presentations and discussions from experts and individuals with lived experiences who are now professionals in the field, sharing insights from their perspective. Note that this session will not include personal testimonials.

Barriers - Overcoming Obstacles to Recovery: In this segment, we will address the common barriers that hinder recovery. International experts and organisations will discuss strategies for overcoming these challenges, providing valuable insights.

Systems - Generating Structural Change: The final pillar will focus on the systemic changes required to support recovery at an organisational and policy level. Panelists will discuss the role of global institutions and networks in facilitating these changes.

Throughout the webinar, participants will have the opportunity to engage in interactive discussions with experts (Q&A), allowing for a dynamic exchange of ideas. The relevance of these topics lies in their ability to provide practical insights and strategies that can be applied in diverse contexts (e.g. Best and Colman, 2018), making this session especially valuable for professionals, policymakers, and community leaders involved in addiction recovery.

Intended audience:

The target audience for this webinar includes:

National Drug Councils and policymakers
Civil society organizations involved in addiction recovery
Recovery champions and advocates
Professionals and practitioners in the field of addiction recovery
People with lived experience in recovery
Members and affiliates of ISSUP, UNODC, CICAD, GRN, WFAD, RUN, WHO, and other organisations and networks
Academia and researchers specializing in addiction and recovery

The content will be tailored to provide both theoretical insights and practical strategies relevant to these groups, ensuring that the webinar addresses the needs and interests of all participants.

Learning outcomes:

By attending this webinar, participants can expect to achieve the following learning objectives:

Understand recovery as a strength-based approach, including its goals, common barriers, and strategies for overcoming them.
Learn about the systemic changes and global collaboration needed to support recovery-oriented systems of care.
Engage with experts, gain practical tools, and enhance skills to strengthen recovery efforts within organizations and communities.

Participants will leave the session with a deeper understanding of the multifaceted nature of recovery and the critical role that global collaboration and systemic change play in advancing recovery initiatives.

References:

Best, Nisic, Patton & Goic (2023) retrieved from: https://recovered-users-network.net/gppr/
Sheedy C. K., Whitter M. (2009). Guiding principles and elements of recovery-oriented systems of care: What do we know from the research? HHS Publication No. (SMA) 09–4439 Rockville, MD: Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Best and Colman, 2018
Best D. & Colman C. (2019). Let’s celebrate recovery. Inclusive cities working together to support social cohesion. Addict Res Theory, 27(1): 55–64

Presenters:

	Professor John Kelly Professor John Kelly is the founder and director of the Recovery Research Institute at Massachusetts General Hospital and the Elizabeth R. Spallin Associate Professor of Psychiatry in Addiction Medicine at Harvard Medical School. He has served as a consultant to numerous U.S. federal agencies and international organizations, and his research focuses on addiction treatment, recovery processes, and stigma reduction. With over 20 years of experience, Dr. Kelly is a licensed clinical psychologist who integrates evidence-based practices to support individuals and families dealing with substance use disorders.
	David Best David Best, Professor of Addiction Recovery, Leeds Trinity University, UK: as well as being the Director of the Centre for Addiction Recovery Research in Leeds, David also holds honorary academic posts at the Australian National University, Monash University (Melbourne, Australia) and the Public Health Institute (California, USA). He is also chair of the Prison Research Network for the British Society of Criminology. He has led a number of international recovery research projects and is a leading researcher in the area of recovery capital
	Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D. An affiliate of the Institution for Social and Policy Studies and the Medical School at Yale University, and dubbed by NBC News as the “prodigy of drug politics,” and by Salon as the "quarterback of the new anti-drug movement," author, consultant, and advisor to three U.S. presidential administrations, Kevin A. Sabet, Ph.D., has studied, researched, written about, and implemented drug policy for over 25 years. He is the only person appointed by Republican and Democrats to work at the White House drug office. Kevin is currently the President and CEO of the Foundation for Drug Policy Solutions (FDPS) and SAM (Smart Approaches to Marijuana), two non-profit organisations he founded with Congressman Patrick Kennedy. His latest book, Smokescreen: What the Marijuana Industry Doesn’t Want You to Know, distributed by Simon & Schuster, won the Next Generation Indie Book Award in the Social Justice Category, and has been optioned for a documentary film. He received his doctorate and master's degrees from Oxford University and BA from the University of California, Berkeley.
	Chantelle Pepper Chantelle Pepper is the Chair of the Western Cape Substance Abuse Forum and holds a Post Graduate Diploma in Addictions Care from the University of Cape Town. She works with the Department of Social Development within the Western Cape Government, where she is dedicated to addressing substance abuse issues in the community. Chantelle is committed to fostering effective policies and programs that support recovery and promote well-being.