to champion diversity, equity, and inclusion in your organization?
Our dynamic 3-Week Race Equity Facilitator Cohort equips you with the “Both and Framework” to embed these principles into your company’s practices.
This immersive program provides the tools, resources, and support you need to drive lasting change.
We understand navigating racial dialogue can be challenging. Our Foundations of Racial Healing Workshop provides a safe and supported space for your team to learn a common language for discussing race. They’ll walk away feeling heard, seen, and empowered to take action, all while being inspired to ask the important question: “what can we do next?”
Let us take the pressure off - we’ll guide your team through a positive, healing experience that fosters growth and understanding.
OF
RECOVERY FRIENDS
We are inviting EVERYONE across the New York State Recovery Community to break bread, share stories and connect with others about health and wellbeing.
FOR-NY Co-Founder and Past President, Laura Elliott-Engel, embodied the phrase “Recovery Warrior” by relentlessly standing up for individuals and familes whose lives had been impacted by addiction to alcohol and other drugs.
In honor of Laura’s legacy and the work of all the Recovery Warriors, who stand on her shoulders and the shoulders of those who paved the way for all of us, FOR-NY established the Laura Elliott-Engel Recovery Award.
COMING
NEW YORK STATE RECOVERY CONFERENCE
We are proud to announce the 9th Annual New York State Recovery Conference; providing innovative educational and networking opportunities for the recovery community.
This year’s workshops will center on how and what sustains recovery. There will be workshops on the multiple pathways of recovery, emerging advocacy efforts and skill building for peer professionals and people in recovery.
Tracks will include youth and family, diversity, equity and inclusion, recovery ready work places, health and wellness, as well education on how to educate decision-makers and the general public about recovery.
EDUCATION AND TRAINING
If your organization is able to supervise an intern who completed the CRPA training scholarship program, please contact tknorr@for-ny.org ($1200 stipend for supervision).
Faces and Voices of Recovery (FAVOR) developed this curriculum with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and FOR-NY updated it in 2017. A basic understanding of neuro-biology of addiction and recovery and provides facts about how substances affect the brain and evidence to support the recovery process. This knowledge assists advocates to speak confidently to increase public understanding.
: https://app.donorview.com/oY9NL
Certified Recovery Peer
Advocates are individuals who have a High School Diploma/GED or higher that provide coaching, support, guidance and motivation.
Friends of Recovery-
FRI, SEP 06
6:30-7:30 PM
PRICE: FREE
MILESTONES CELEBRATION
Join us for a special Mountainside Milestones event in celebration of National Recovery Month!
243 West 18th Street
New York, NY 10011
Celebrate the unique journeys of individuals in recovery. Each month, we honor recovery milestones with coins, hear inspiring stories from fellow members, and foster a welcoming community for all stages of recovery. Whether you’re celebrating a milestone or simply seeking connection, we invite you to join us.
Bring your loved ones to share in the celebration. Meetings are free and open to everyone in the sober community.
Sign up or visit mtsi.de/milestones
*Milestones Celebration meets every 1st Friday of every month
SEPTEMBER 19TH AT 6 PM HOSTOS
We are thrilled to invite you to the "Recovery is REAL" Gala, commemorating the 10th Anniversary of Let's Talk SAFETY Inc. Join us on September 19th at 6 PM at the Hostos Center for Culture & Arts in the Bronx for our birthday celebration.
This gala marks a decade of impactful work, supporting over 30,000 families through workforce development, holistic wellness & recovery services, and substance-use prevention programs for teens and youth. Your unwavering support has been crucial to our success, and we are excited to share this milestone with you.
The evening will feature memorable entertainment, including:
• Alyson Williams, the Emmy-winning songstress, delivered a heartfelt tribute to Phyllis Hyman.
• Peter Collins, a celebrated artist known for his sold-out shows, performs his chart-topping hits.
• Black Women in Comedy Hosts
We will also honor two exceptional individuals for their contributions to health equity:
• Dr. Maurice Wright, Chief Medical Director at Harlem Hospital, for his profound impact on community healthcare.
• Tracie Gardner, Co-Director of the Black Harm Reduction Network, for her relentless advocacy for health equity.
You can join us by purchasing tickets or becoming a sponsor. The following options are available:
Ticket and Sponsorship Options:
• Recovery Is Real Single Ticket: $200
• Bronze Sponsorship Package: $2,500 includes VIP Reception for (2) two with Artists, 4- oor seat
• tickets, and logo on the PILLARS website, ½ page ad in the commemorative brochure
• Silver Sponsorship Package: $6,500 includes VIP Reception for (4) four with Artists, 20 floor seats, a small logo printed on step & repeat, and a 1-page ad on the inside back cover of the commemorative brochure
Your participation will significantly impact the lives of those we serve. Let's celebrate this extraordinary journey together and look forward to an even brighter future.
Best regards,
Felecia Pullen Ph.D President & CEO
2024 YOUTH POLICY STATEMENT
Based on data gathered from our statewide Youth Recovery Needs Survey, developed and administered by Youth Voices Matter - NY center survey, in collaboration with OASAS Youth Clubhouse members and leadership, along with youth and young adult recovery community partners, we have identified THREE priorities for our 2024 Youth Policy Statement. We call on the Governor and the NYS Legislature to take the following actions immediately to address the needs of young people in the Recovery Community across NYS.
Provide equitable accessibility to support services for all communities, specifically for youth and young adults, across the state of New York to support the growth of their recovery capital.
• Investing $5 million in the development of more integrated services that would provide treatment and recovery services around primary care, mental health and substance use for young people with dual diagnoses.
• An additional $5 million in funding for mental health recovery support services for youth ages 12-20 and young adults ages 21-30 in a non-clinical setting.
• The development and expansion of Care Coordinated Services for young adults ages 18-30 with health insurance so that they are accessing the appropriate managed care associated with their insurance.
• The inclusion of $5 million in funding for the expansion of wrap around services within the shelter system for homeless youth and young adults in recovery.
• Increase funding by $5 million for more transitional housing programs focused on assisting young adults in recovery.
• Inclusion of additional $5 million in funding for the development of more age-specific job-readiness training and certifications for youth ages 14-17 and young adults ages 18-30 in recovery.
Accessible recovery friendly educational opportunities provide youth and young adults with support needed to feel successful and supported in their recovery.
• An additional $2 million in funding for more continuing education and vocational programs for youth and young adults ages 17-21 in recovery.
• $1 million in funding for the development of new recovery programs within high schools and collegiate campuses and additional support for existing recovery programs within these systems.
Youth and Young adults who are in recovery, need recovery spaces that are led by youth, for youth. This supports our youth and young adults to feel more understood and better supported by peers of their same age groups from their communities, who are also in recovery.
• Investing in recovery specific scholarship programs that provide recovery certifications and initiatives to create more employment opportunities for young adults in recovery (ages 17-30) to become Certified Recovery Peer Advocates (CRPA).
• Increase in funding for the establishment and continued services of Youth Recovery Community Organizations (YRCOs) and youth clubhouses within all 62 counties of New York State.
POLICY CORNER
Dear Recovery Warriors,
As we approach this upcoming election season we want to remind you of the IMMENSE POWER and IMPACT your vote holds, especially for our substance use community!
Voting is our most fundamental right and essential part of being an engaged citizen. It allows us to have a say in shaping policies, the future of our communities and country.
Voting Ensures:
1. Our Voice in Decision-Making:
Voting provides us with the opportunity to express our opinions and choose representatives who will make decisions on our behalf. When you cast a vote, you have a chance to select a leader who aligns with your values and address issues most important to you. It is also imperative we all take the time to do our research and identify candidates best suited to support the needs of our community
2. Influencing Policies and Change
YOU have the power to shape the policies and laws that govern your communities. Elected officials rely on the voices of their constituents to help shape their policy decisions. It is incumbent on all of us to be active participants to help shape legislation that have impacts on our everyday lives.
3. Accountability
Voting is an essential tool for holding our elected officials accountable. Don’t like what your Governor said about the Recovery Community at a press conference? Casting your vote allows you to let that be known! Elected representatives our supposed to represent our values and if your representative doesn’t, work to vote them out!
Your vote can help ensure that our community receives the essential support, programs and resources it deserves. Your Vote Matters and together we can make a difference.
2024 POLICY STATEMENT
Friends of Recovery - New York (FOR-NY) is a statewide Recove7 Community Organization (RCO) dedicated to advocating with and on behalf of millions o individuals and fami l ies impacted by addiction and recovery across New York State. Together, we work to educate decision makers and the general public on the power and promise of recovery.
The FOR-NY October 2023 Survey was distributed to the NYS Recovery Community and results have reconf irmed three identified priorities from our 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023 Policy Statements: Housing, Recovery Oriented Systems of Care, and Transportation The survey results have also reaffirmed the va lu e of our poli cy position on racia l justice. As informed by the survey results and the NYS Recovery Community, be low is our 2024 Policy Statement. As a community, we call on the Governor and the NYS Legislature to take immediate action to address these priorities and the addiction crisis in NYS:
RACIAL JUSTICE , HARM REDUCTION & ALL PATHWAYS OF RECOVERY
FOR-NY is an anti-racist organization that embraces the l ifesaving principles of harm reduction and all pathways of recovery. We are dedicated to el i minating rac i al injustice and the stigma associated with addict io n and active use. We are committed to promoting an ongoing process of healing and reconciliation in order to dismantle racism and inequity. Our organization's values are rooted in the bel ief that all members of our community are valued at all levels.
PRIORITY #1: HOUSING
• Housing funded across the continuum
• Promotes person - centered and evidence-based practices
Promotes multiple pathways to recovery
• Ensures qua lity, integrity and non-exploitable
• Housin g that su pports use of Medicatio n Su pp orted Recover y.
PRIORITY #2: ACCESS TO EVIDENCE-BASED TREATMENT & WRAP-AROUND SERVICES
• Treatment and Recovery support services on demand and connection to local recovery communities after overdose
• Anyone in need must have 24/7 access to detox, treatment and recovery support services.
• Co llab oration and connectivity between MH/SUD services & community-based programs
• Access to the NYS Peer certified workfo rc e across the continuum and integration into "unconventiona l settings"- Emergency Departments, Court System, Housing, etc.
• Increased access of Recovery support services for BIPOC, Queer, Rural, & Justice-involved
• Creating permanent and sustainable funding for ALL community-based programs regardless of size, location, or affiliations
• Create a permanent funding model to ensure at least one Recovery Community Organization (RCO), Recovery Commun ity Outreach Center (RCOC) and Youth Clubhouse in each county and ensure that at least two Certified Recovery Peer Advocates and two Ce rtified Family Support Navigators exist in every county in NY
• RFAs and RFPs prioritizing community-based organizations that have no mechanism for reimbursement, in c ludin g RCOs, RCOCs and Harm Reduction Organizations
• Education and assistance with grant writing for sma l l community-based organizations
• Increase awareness around SUD to reduce sti g ma within local communities.
• Access to safe and supportive environments for those in Recovery
• En sure a livable wage and employment opportunities for the Peer Workforce Increased education, training and professional development for the Peer Workforce
• In c rease education and training fo r Employers to redu ce stigma around SUD in the workp la ce
• Adoption of Department of Labor best practices ensuring Recovery Friendly Workplaces with NYS Governor support.
PRIORITY #5: TRANSPORTATION
• Development of statewide non-clinical, recovery supportive transportation services program
• Reimbursement for peer-led transportation services regardless of treatment affi l iation
• Expand sustainable t ransportation opportunities within Rural Communities.
