As illegal drug use is on the rise not only nationwide, but in the state, county, and in this community, one Brandon Township resident is trying to break the stigma surrounding addiction.
Scott Masi marched in the UNITE to Face Addiction event in Washington, DC last month, and now he will take part in Paradigm Shift: Changing Law & Education to Better Support Addiction Recovery, a conference planned for Nov. 12, at Cooley Law School in Auburn Hills. The forum will discuss barriers to addiction recovery, as well as opportunities for it within the criminal justice and educational systems. Speakers will include Michigan Supreme Court Justice Richard Bernstein, Michigan Lt. Gov. Brian Calley, Oakland County Medical Examiner Ljubisa Dragovic, Assistant U.S. Attorney Patrick Corbett and more.
‘We are going to talk about the support systems needed for both the addict and family as well,? said Masi, outreach and referral specialist for Brighton Center for Recovery. ‘Early recovery is the most vulnerable time because of addressing the stigma and people associating themselves with the label of addiction. We are hoping to break that stigma and bring the barriers down.?
Topics to be discussed include early recovery barriers regarding employment and education, navigating the judicial system to get records expunged for drug-related non-violent offenses, and breaking the anonymity long associated with addiction due to shame.
Masi said since the 1950s the disease of addiction has been stigmatized and now emergency rooms are flooded with lives saved from Narcan, but within hours, addicts are out using again as the root of their problem is not addressed.
He notes that Brighton Center for Recovery is one of only three addiction facilities in the country associated with a large health system. Brighton is associated with Ascension Health System and St. John Providence Hospital. The Paradigm Shift forum will discuss options like Vivitrol, which weans addicts off of heroin while in jail. Unlike Suboxone, which Masi said does not work, Vivitrol is a non-narcotic and blocks receptors. Additionally, it only has to be administered once a month to block the effect of heroin. Suboxone must be used three times a day, continuing the ritualistic aspect of heroin, and also contains an opiate.
A discussion of the current laws regarding drugs will focus on changes that will be helpful in recovery and innovative programs that are working in other parts of the nation, including recovery high schools, collegiate recovery programs and movement of law enforcement to treat addiction as a health issue instead of criminal problem.
Masi notes that oftentimes, addiction isn’t identified until a crime has been committed.
‘Because of society’s look on addiction, we’re behind the eight-ball because of moral issues,? he said. ‘Signs of addiction are a DUI arrest, etc. With kids, the first time it is a choice, but if you have a predisposition, the disease takes away choice. This conference is meant for clinicians, law enforcement, probation officers, addicts, family members, hopefully to solicit a movement for legislative change. What they can take away from this is that are developments nationally that can be adapted locally. We want people to think in paradigms and change.?
Tickets are $25 in advance, or $30 at the door. To purchase tickets or for more information, go to http://addictionrecoveryparadigms.
brownpapertickets.com/ or call Scott Masi at 810-360-5779 or email scott.masi@stjohn.org