The White House Celebrates 25th Anniversary of Recovery Month

The Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) honored 25 years of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month with a special event at the White House on September 17, 2014. More than 175 advocates, recovery community leaders, persons in long-term recovery, and others who have been impacted by substance use and its consequences came together to commemorate the 25th anniversary.

The highlight of the night was a panel discussion composed of five prominent public figures in long-term recovery from substance use disorders:

• Cris Carter, a Pro Football Hall of Fame inductee and ESPN Analyst who has been in recovery for 25 years;
• Ruben Castañeda, a former Washington Post Journalist and author of the book “S Street Rising,” a memoir of his own descent into a serious crack addiction;
• Tim Willson, Mayor of Brooklyn Center, MN, who lost his daughter to an opioid overdose;
• Christina Huffington, daughter of publisher Arianna Huffington and advocate for her fellow youth in recovery;
• and Laurie Dhue, a former Fox News anchor, who moderated the panel.

Each panelist shared their personal story of recovery and answered viewer questions, which were submitted via Twitter.

The event also featured messages from former U.S. Rep. Patrick Kennedy and Steve Ford, son of former President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford.

ONDCP encourages all to continue the spotlight on recovery by:

• Continuing the discussion! Tweet your thoughts to ONDCP Acting Director Michael Botticelli, @Botticelli44, using the hashtag #RecoveryatWH.
• Viewing the live-stream! If you missed it (or want to enjoy the experience again), the full archived video can be seen here.
• Connecting with the ONDCP on Social Media! Like the ONDCP on Facebook for news and updates on policies to support persons in recovery from substance use disorders.

Image from Creative Commons User Shubert Ciencia