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Talk about Substance Use ??? Yes It Really Is OK!

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HEADS UP

This is just a heads up. It is okay to talk about substance use and impact on your life without going to rehab or “admitting you are an alcoholic or addict”.

There is no research or evidence to support continuing the same path until you “hit bottom”. It’s simply dead wrong.

Never was legit. And never was meant to guide our society’s response.

NOT POLICY

It’s a slogan that was helpful way for people (family) to understand the limitations of their control. And a way to explain the phenomenon of human motivation at a base level.

Slogans are not meant guide healthcare policy.

FAMILY MEMBERS

If you are a family member with a loved one misusing substances remember you can also seek info.

  1. Ask questions.
  2. Educate yourself.
  3. Learn about this issue.
  4. Don’t listen to people who immediately start pushing rehab.

A HEALTHCARE CONCERN

There is much to learn. Tough love is another overused term.

Be careful where you get information and try to approach this in a manner similar to other healthcare issues.

This is a healthcare concern and lifestyle management issue that falls along a wide spectrum.

TALK ABOUT IT TODAY

Talk about it. Before it gets worse.

Talk about it with your doctor.

Talk about it with a good therapist. Or just get more information.

Read. Learn. You can talk about it even if you don’t want to quit.

Bob Dylan

The Times They Are A Changin’… Bob Dylan

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A NEW DISCIPLINE IS ON IT’S WAY

This is required reading for all our FAVOR Greenville Staff.

Also the YouTurn Staff and Wellness Partners Staff….

AND MY KIDS…. Read this: ***

From Bob Dylan’s The Times They Are A-Changin’ (Witmark Demo – 1963)

Come Mothers and Fathers – Throughout the Land
And Don’t Criticize – What You Can’t Understand
Your Sons and Your Daughters – Are Beyond Your Command

THINGS ARE A CHANGING

Things change whether we want them to or not. One can always lament the loss of the “good old days” and we love to talk about how much better things were “back in the day”.

We also apply revisionist history when discussing our systems and our institutions and conventional wisdom around how to best do life. Further complicating things is the psychological phenomenon of perceiving one’s personal experience as a universal fact.

PARENTING

Let’s examine parenting for example.

For some reason people wax nostalgic for the days when parents could beat the hell out of a kid and call it discipline rather than abuse.

Things are never as good as we remember them. Nostalgic misrepresentation.

Corporal punishment causes much more harm than good, overall. Statistically speaking.

When this topic (corporal punishment) is brought up someone will inevitably make the statement:

“My Dad beat my ass and thank God he did because I turned out the way I am cause he beat my ass”…..

FLAWED ASSUMPTIONS

This statement is flawed on 2 levels:

  • You assume we all want to turn out the way you did. You may have turned out to be an asshole and your report merely reinforces the fact that corporal punishment is a bad thing.
  • You assume that your experience in some way represents a universal fact applicable to the entirety of humanity. As if what worked for you (getting beat) will work for everyone. This is a very arrogant way of thinking.

Furthermore, I got my ass kicked on a regular basis and it sucked and it made my life horrible.

And by your logic…if your “experience” speaks for all of humanity…well then, my experience speaks for all of humanity as well.

This clearly violates the law of non-contradiction, therefore invalidating your original assumption that; “experience equals fact”.

EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUAL FACT

We can do so much better. WE CAN ACKNOWLEDGE THAT EXPERIENCE DOES NOT EQUAL FACT.

We can embrace progress and we are allowed to change our mind.

We can risk bringing new ideas into our consciousness and we are permitted to have a different opinion from the group.

We can even debate difficult things without devolving into a childish fit of rage.

IT’S INEVITABLE

Progress and change is inevitable.

It’s coming fast and furious in all areas of life. All societal institutions are subject to be reconceived and reconstructured.

Education, healthcare, military and even the government (we will have more than 2 viable political parties in the near future) are going to overhaul.

If we base our opinion on our own personal experience, reinforced by the opinions of all the other people in our homogeneous tribe, we will resist change.

A ENTIRE COUNTRY IN PERIL

We will get steamrolled.

Technology is not slowing down. Problems are not going away.

Social problems, such as ever increasing overdose deaths and gun violence are not going to magically go away.

The crazy political turmoil and division,  the unprecedented suicide rates (both adolescent and adults) other substance misuse related deaths, and the unchecked mental health crisis are all “trending” in the wrong direction.

This will continue to escalate until our society responds with the full force and urgency consistent with a country in peril.

THE PAIN AND SUFFERING

“When the pain gets great enough” all solutions will be on the table.

“When the pain gets great enough”, “they” will have little concern what our personal experience was and what “tradition” dictates as a solution.

The pain is starting to get great enough!!!

Our beloved addiction treatment industry and recovery services system is going to change as well.

This includes the way we have structured and positioned “Recovery Coaching”.

THE HOLY GRAIL

The preoccupation with making peer support mimic clinical counseling has been part of the challenge and one of the reasons professional recovery support and coaching is not more widespread.

Recovery coaching as a branch of already existing services may help in some ways but it is not transformational.  It is an adjunct.  It’s not different enough.

The “Holy Grail” of a “reimbursable code”  so that recovery organizations can get reimbursed by medicaid and commercial insurance is a chimera.  Furthermore, why do we assume that reimbursement from the existing infrastructure will lead to scalable services?

QUESTION

Why does “Peer Recovery Support” or “Recovery Coaching” or whatever you want to call it,  automatically assume that the insurance reimbursed “Business Model” is the best model?

ANSWER – BECAUSE “THAT’S THE WAY CLINICAL TREATMENT IS REIMBURSED”?

For sure, some isolated organizations in select states will thrive under the current model.

There are some places where the state system is more amenable to supporting independent recovery support.

I believe South Carolina is going to be one of those places.

Furthermore, recovery coaching will continue to be promoted across the country.  But it won’t scale.

Because it’s not paid for by the public system in a manner that promotes growth.

IT’S NOT UNIQUE

Recovery coaching is not a desired service within the private marketplace (businesses, other enterprises, general consumers etc..) aside from some very isolated initiatives such as what we have developed here in Greenville, South Carolina.

But Greenville is just a small piece of the pie.

We want to see a nationwide sea change.  It’s difficult to say this but recovery coaching, on the whole, is not attractive enough to the private market to warrant widespread adoption.

Partly because it’s not unique.  It’s not differentiated.

CONSIDER THIS

  1. Why are all the “Recovery Coaching Training” curriculums essentially the same?
  2. Why do they so closely resemble many of the things we are taught in “Clinical Training”?

In addition to that, the overwhelming majority of people trained as “Recovery Coaches” across the country are not working.

NOTE: ARE WE CREATING A WORKFORCE FOR THE SAKE OF CREATING A WORKFORCE?

A NEW DISCIPLINE

In my realm of influence (FAVOR Greenville and beyond) “Recovery Coaching” will continue to be a core service.

We run recovery centers.  We facilitate all recovery meetings.  We provide one to one coaching.  We do outreach to treatment centers and detox programs.

Of course we will lean on this foundation.

In truth, the majority of our services will be traditional recovery coaching.  It works in these traditional environments. We do this very well and we are committed to continuing our efforts in this area.

20 MILLION PEOPLE

But there are 20 million people out there who are not into the “Traditional” environment.

They all deserve help!

They all deserve a “Solution”!

THEIR FAMILIES ALL DESERVE SOME HOPE.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Therefore, we need to devote a certain amount of time to “Research and Development” as well as “Product Innovation”.

We have developed another venture that will focus on these breakthroughs.

This company does not resemble anything you have previously seen in the recovery support services or addiction treatment space.

NOT ANOTHER REHAB BUSINESS

We aren’t getting into the rehab business (never again) or the recovery housing business or other typical programs that may expand our reach.

I respect those programs and I’ve worked in all those models.

However, it’s not my jam any more and it is not what our companies are focused on.

We are going to pivot to meet the demands of the market and respond to the customer.  We will listen to the customer.

First by identifying who our actual customer is.  Most assume it is the person in need.

But we know that’s ridiculous because the person in need is running from the service.

The customer is the family system (all individuals are part of a family system), the workplace, the school, the community etc…

We work from the customer out to the program.  Fit the program around the customer. Not the customer around the program.

We will develop a new product with the service to back it up and we will approach continuous improvement with the same zeal Zappos approaches “happiness”.

BENCHMARKS AND MENTORS

Our benchmarks and our mentors will come as much from the business world as the addiction treatment and recovery services world.  Actually, probably more from business.

We are obsessed with customer service.

A product and a service that will be judged based on the response from the customer.  Imagine that?

The market will guide our product and the associated service and we will invent a solution.

It will not be called Recovery Coaching so there will be no confusion.

SOMETHING NEW – NOT RECYCLED

Interestingly, the treatment infrastructure is likely to benefit from our efforts.

Since we are hell bent on differentiating ourselves from the historical solution we will go to great lengths to lean on our clinical partners.  We will work closely with clinical providers and partners to maximize the experience for the customer.

This includes private providers and public providers.  We want to strengthen our relationships with state systems.

However, this doesn’t mean we roll people into rehab over and over.

TREATMENT GOES WAY BEYOND REHAB

Our value add is the invention of a new product and service not the reapplication of a legacy product.

“Recovery Coaching” integrated with and supervised by clinical treatment staff is essentially the same as a “Behavioral Tech”.

Techs have existed for 50 years.

We want to provide something that produces ZERO confusion.  Something new…. not recycled.

Our clinical partners will thrive because of our venture into this brave new world.

I may even get invited back to the cool kids table at the annual conferences…..

NOW THAT’S AN OUTRAGEOUS IDEA!

RECOVERY COACHING NEEDS TO BE RE-EXAMINED

Remember, the current “recovery support system” was not ordained by God.

Relatively speaking, its very new.

It’s completely logical that everything needs to be reevaluated and, probably, needs to undergo major adjustments.

First off, who are the experts guiding this?

How many people have even actually provided recovery coaching and/or successfully run an organization?  Not very many.

Relatively speaking we are talking about a very small insular group of people. I would put myself in that group.

FAVOR GREENVILLE IS THRIVING 

That doesn’t mean I’m the authority, and just because there are handful of other places thriving doesn’t mean they are the authority.

We need to acknowledge that we have not even reached adolescence in terms of our field’s development.  Yet we act as if this stuff is stone cold fact.

We can do better. Much better.

It’s completely clear that this is an evolving profession. An evolving service.

Is “the approach”  we currently have the gold standard?  If so who decided that?

Should this model be “locked in” at such an early iteration?

THE NEXT VERSION ???

We have all heard of version 1.0 ; version 2.0 ; version 3.0…when it comes to technology and other industries.

Could that same thinking apply to recovery coaching and recovery services?

Recovery Coaching 1.0 has been the universal approach.

HOWEVER, I challenge the idea that the current manifestation of recovery support/coaching is the most effective version.

Look around, all the stuff that you take for granted in life was invented by someone no smarter than you.

You are permitted to invent a solution…. “They” won’t tell you that.

If you become aware that you are allowed to solve this problem….well then….what would “they” do?

 

The Standard Company Line - Not Me! 2

The Standard Company Line – Not Me!

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When I give a talk I do not follow the standard company line with the generic blah blah blah….

This past year I have done a bunch of talks/presentations on recovery community centers and recovery coaching. All over the country.

I am not confrontational but I am probably a bit direct and I am not always tactful. But with me, what you see is what you get, and there is no question where I stand.

I deliver recovery coaching and run organizations that provide tens of thousands of hours of coaching. I’ve talked to at least 100 parents who have lost a child.

FAVOR GREENVILLE

FAVOR Greenville searches homeless encampments for participants who are enrolled in our program, we are in soup kitchens, schools, hospitals, everywhere.

We work with 8,000 plus families. My opinions are based on practice not theory.

I’m getting old. I don’t have enough time left to go along with things that aren’t impactful and actionable.

I have no time left to promote ideas that are old and stale.

No time for things that are not going to move the needle on recovery.

REAL LIFE EXPERIENCE

Also, before FAVOR Greenville I toiled in the medicaid/state run SUD system on the clinical side.

I’ve done tour of duty in private rehab. I’ve done community mental health, private practice, in-home mental health, in-home family services, had an intervention practice.

This gives me a unique perspective. Again, nothing theoretical about my opinion.

It’s based in real life experience and a boatload of education and academic training. I have strong opinions. I’m willing to adjust when the evidence suggest I’m wrong. But I won’t go along with the company line just because “it’s the way we do it”.

INDEPENDENT RECOVERY ORGANIZATIONS

One subject that gets attention on these trips:

I openly state that independent recovery organizations are a “major” part of the solution.

And that, sadly, they are either completely ignored or given token support in most places.

I point out the tragedy of that reality and I clarify that a peer recovery staff in a treatment setting does not constitute a robust recovery oriented system of care. Posting someone up in detox or IOP does not address the recovery issue.

It’s better than nothing but it’s not the solution.

I talk about RCO’s being essential and I state that RCO’s should have dedicated permanent funding via federal and state drug and alcohol dollars. Significant funding. On par with prevention and treatment.

WHAT DID YOU SAY RICH?

Many times there are state drug and alcohol officials and county drug and alcohol officials in the room when I make these “outrageous” statements. In some places (many places actually) this goes over like a lead balloon.

Officials in state systems do not want to hear that type of talk. But what the hell is wrong with saying that?

It’s 100% true. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT TRUE.

RICHARD JONES UNPLUGGED

However, in other places there are people who want to hear more.

There are groups that agree 100%. There are even system officials who agree.

It’s fascinating to see the difference from state to state.

I have a running joke: I usually get invited to a town only 1 time and not invited back.

Once they get Rich Jones unplugged it’s one and done…. but some are inviting me back.

Oh my… that’s scary isn’t it. What if they listen to me…

A NOTE FROM RICH:

Thank you Lynn Farnquist and Families Against Narcotics for the having me up for a family presentation.

Families Against Narcotics (FAN) was born out of a town hall meeting held in 2007 – a result of two teen heroin overdoses just weeks apart in the small, middle-class suburban community of Fraser, Michigan.

All told, that community suffered 30 overdoses that year. All to heroin. Needing to do something, this determined organization set out to recruit members and educate the public.

Visit Families Against Narcotics

 
My Time In Witness Protection

My Time In Witness Protection & Weapons of Mass Destruction

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My Time In Witness Protection
Secret Location – Rich Jones

I ventured out into the surrounding area of the Recovery Cartel’s W.P.P.C. (witness protection program cabin).

As you know we are in an undisclosed location deep in the Appalachian mountains.

We are so deep we don’t get cell coverage.

Had to pay $1.5 million for this special wi-fi package that allows me to maintain contact with the rest of the world.

We can only go out in the dark so that the Cartel or the KC Mob or the Hill People can’t get to us!

Getting Soft

It is so cold here. I nearly died of exposure out there tonight.

I had to kill a tauntaun on my way home and gut it with my light saber so I could crawl inside and stay warm until Reggie found me. #rescuedog. Here he is expressing his disgust for my weakness….

Reggie the Recovery Dog

I made it but I must be getting soft.

Weapon of Mass Destruction

In the meantime back in the Upstate of South Carolina….

Xanax is a weapon of mass destruction.

Xanax is now a mainstream recreational drug. It’s commonplace in high schools across the Upstate.

Fake Xanax is a killer.

One that is poised for more exposure. As our country pushes down on opioids the cartels will need to make other drugs more addictive… they must come up with a new product line.

Fake Xanax is part of the new product line.

Multinational Corporations

These cartels are multinational corporations with strategy and R & D and product development.

They aren’t just thugs slinging dope.

They innovate and invent new product.

Economics

They are not interested in losing market share IF the opioid market is suppressed.

It’s simple economics…

If people stop buying my pepperoni pizza I’m going to make my double cheese, pineapple pizza more appetizing and see if that can replace market share lost on the pepperoni pizza.

If they are gonna try and reduce demand and push down on opioids/heroin let’s see if we can make Xanax more addictive.

Xanax is the drug of choice for many young people…

Recovery Cartel Blog Oct

Do You See What is Happening?

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THE PROBLEM WE CAN’T IGNORE

One problem we face and that we can not ignore. We can never really tell how well a person is doing “in their Recovery”.

We can usually tell if someone is not on solid ground.

Obvious signs like: not attending meetings, not going to therapy, running with old using friends, dope man on speed dial.

LOOKS & SOUNDS GOOD

But what about the person who appears to be on point? The person “working a great program”.

Attending to all aspects of the recovery plan. Everything looks and sounds good.

I believe you can be doing all the right things and still be struck with a strong craving.

Especially where opioids are concerned. Especially during that first year.

❌STOP – WAIT 

Before you say it allow me:

1) I fully understand that sometimes we just have to get through the craving and “not pick up no matter what”.
2) I fully understand that the person can call and “tell on himself” and work through the craving.
3) I also understand that some people feel that the obsession to use will be lifted and they won’t face this type of circumstance.

But I also understand that in many cases, perhaps the majority of cases, the person won’t take action.

I also believe many people aren’t “free” from these moments of weakness.

Especially in the first year.

THAT FIRST SLIP

Some people will give in and make a mistake.

Conventional wisdom tell us to wait and see “if they make it back”.

Then we can use the mistake as a learning tool.

And encourage the person to try again,  to “keep coming back”.

An approach consistent with the “wait until they hit bottom” foundations of our system.

THE SLIP IS FREQUENTLY FATAL

In another day and time we may have been able to get away with this approach.

The mistake was not likely to kill the person on that first “slip”.

But in the day and age of carfentanyl and fentanyl the slip is frequently fatal.

And a person who has been “clean” for a period of time is in the greatest danger because tolerance is low.

Who among us has had a perfect recovery? A spotless trajectory of no lapse or relapse?

Who got this on the first try? Very, very few of us.

THE  ARGUMENT FOR M.A.T.

When I made my mistakes that first year I was not in imminent danger. And I had a chance to make it back.

There was no fentanyl to be had.

Death was always a remote possibility. But not a probability like today.

This where the argument for MAT is most compelling.

ZERO WIGGLE ROOM

Even if a person is following a traditional recovery pathway, perhaps the adjunct of MAT makes sense that first year. When cravings are frequent and relapse deadly.

Even the person working a “great program” could benefit from the added safety net of MAT.

There is just zero wiggle room where heroin and other opioids are concerned.

This year’s Quest diagnostic national survey on “heroin purity” indicated 87% of the time fentanyl is present.

Up from 46% the previous year.

Do you see what is happening?

Recovery Cartel Blog

“A Dent in the Universe” by Richard Jones

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Pockets of Excellence

To paraphrase the institute for therapeutic change any service is better than no service but no service stands out as the best.

For the most part, this is true. There are outliers on either end.

Some programs/people/service providers are far superior to the rest of the field.

That is probably due to the exceptional skills of a few top performers who work there. The SUD field has always been full of these isolated pockets of excellence.

However, the approach or method or “level of excellence” has never been scaled or replicated.

Mainly because we haven’t found a way to clone the “masters” who run the show in these settings.

Remember, scaling a method or an approach doesn’t mean you open up a couple of more centers in your region or even a few scattered across the country.

Scaling means exponential growth and exponential reach. Millions; not thousands.

Walmart Providers

There are also outliers on the other end.

Horrible providers and therapists and programs and services.

People who should not even be in a room with another human being let alone being in a professional helping field.

Pop-up; Walmart providers are commonplace.

Miserable people burned out holding on way too long. Unfortunately, these programs/people exist.

I Am Amused

However, for the most part the majority of providers are adequate. Providing a variation of a service/program that has been around for 40 years.

If people engage they will probably start to get better. Not everyone. But many will improve.

As much as I hate slogans: these programs seem to ‘work if you work them’.

At least in terms of initial improvement and quality of life they will make an impact. Furthermore, in terms of keeping people alive, there are more options than ever.

I am amused as I see the latest “Recovery Coaching Certification” or “Family Recovery Certification” advertisement.

Or the announcement for the opening of the latest state of the art treatment center; this one will have acupuncture while you ride horses.

It’s called Equi-puncture.

Solutions Still Based On “Willingness”

All the hype and debate around MAT is foolish as well.

We know it works “if they work it”.

The latest “app” misses the mark as it only helps the person who inputs the data or enables the “tracking system”.

Because each and every “new solution” that is proposed assumes “willingness” on the part of the participant.

All of these “evidenced based programs” or “traditional tried and true approaches” are based on a participant who shows up and, for the most part, follows recommendations.

Debating the “best approach or best practices or evidenced based practices” may be entertaining and may make good content for this week’s task force meeting.

But it’s literally a red-herring. An inane exercise which makes us feel as if we are making progress.

But The Facts Remain:

  • 90% of those in need never touch these “evidence based” programs. Hasn’t changed for decades. Probably won’t if we keep focusing on “evidenced based practices” to help the willing.
  • The “system” that already can’t respond to 10% engagement (waiting lists exist for everything: including MAT) would literally implode if we reached even 25% engagement.

Therefore, the “hit bottom” and “you have to want it” foundations of our system, serve a purpose.

It goes to follow then that: the system which would be able to serve increased engagement doesn’t even exist yet. Furthermore, this new system will be unrecognizable by current standards.

It will be as different from the current treatment system as an iPhone is from a pay phone.

“Call Now” – What Are You Waiting For???

–The marketing practices and efforts at engaging the public and/or the person who may need help are laughable. The dude with the doctor scrubs on television.

The endless 12-step speaker meetings on facebook imploring us to “call now”.

You really think this is going to engage an ambivalent participant?

These approaches will SCARE some people into treatment.

But it’s actually going to increase stigma and make the rest of America run the other way.

FACT: The entire American economy is built on making people buy things they don’t actually need. Yet we can’t even make more than 10% in need come get something they desperately need.

There Is A Way

I spend less and less time with people in the recovery bubble.

I spend less and less time with people in the industry.

I spend more and more time with people from other industries and this is why I believe there is a way to change these outcomes.

The goal: 90% of those in need of SUD services engaged in professional support services.

This means at least another 20 million people.

Probably more as we will also engage the “risky” user who hasn’t even been identified.

QUESTION EVERYTHING

Question everything you have been told about treatment, recovery services, insurance, ect..

That system was put together by people who are less informed than we are and certainly no smarter.

Many act as if this “System” is “divinely inspired and comes from God!

They act as if we must do things this way.

We are much more knowledgeable than they were in 1970 when they cranked this thing up.

Stone Cold Truth – Really?

Over my 18 years in recovery and professional treatment/recovery services there have been countless times when I realized I was wrong about something.

Something that a year earlier I would have sworn on as dogma and stone cold truth.

Thank God my views evolve and I remain curious. I read. I read a lot.

I read on topics outside the bubble.

I’m not interested in addiction or recovery conferences or webinars. It’s all recycled information.

I ask questions. I change my mind.

More, More, More

It’s ironic that serving 20 million more people will not be based on more beds or more MAT or more insurance parity.

These areas are a very small part of the plan. Almost an afterthought.

These are ideas that are part of a vision. There is nothing threatening about ideas. Is there?

We will figure out how to get to that vision… by starting with identification of how NOT to get there.

We will figure it out.

Evil Pharma is a distraction

THIS PROBLEM GOES BEYOND THE EVIL PHARMA EMPIRE

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THE EVIL PHARMA NARRATIVE IS A DISTRACTION FROM THE REAL ISSUES:

Such as APF’s attempt to do an end around and get $10 million for “literature and training”.

Everyone rattled the “Pharma connection”. Who cares if Pharma is involved.

They literally have the audacity to assume they are the designated authority on Recovery.

HOW DO WE DETERMINE AUTHORITY AND EXPERTISE:

There is always the chance that most of what we take as “indisputable fact” is instead “very, very, very disputable”.

I will not blindly follow the herd and accept as true that which may be fundamentally false. This is the case at the macro level.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) immediately comes to mind. They are not reliable and they are deeply corrupt.

They do not produce policy based on objective truth. They do not provide the public with reliable information.

At best they provide incomplete information.

In other words they should say “we aren’t sure but we think this drug may help.

Or at the very least it won’t kill you”… The SSRI farce is just one example.

At worst they are corrupt and willfully deceitful.

Allowing Purdue Pharma to come to market saying opioids are non-addictive is an example. There are clearly people in Purdue’s pocket.

READ IT HERE – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2622774/

More likely legislators with influence over FDA. Probably FDA directly.

IT’S THE ILLUMINATI ???

I’m not saying there is some Alex Jones Illuminati type stuff going on; but if you think our government is pursuing justice and truth you are silly and naive.

And this crony capitalism is not confined to any one party. Sometimes it has nothing to do with political party. It’s the regulatory body itself independent of legislators.

TRUTHS AND NORMS

This false evidence presented as real shows up in all societal institutions.

Religions, legal system/prison system, school system, military and all the other major institutions of society have their own galvanizing indisputable truths. This is what makes the institution function.

Furthermore, from a functionalist perspective, these institutions reinforce the facts put forth by other institutions because it holds everything together. Society “functions” better when all agree on “truth and norms”.

EXAMPLE #1 – RELIGION 

Example: Religion has always been used to reinforce civil norms and encourage obedient behavior. In all religions and all countries it’s part of the equation. Sometimes very overt. Sometimes more covert and deceptive.

EXAMPLE #2 – DRUG LAWS AND THE INDUSTRIAL PRISON COMPLEX 

Another Example: drug laws are used to perpetuate the industrial prison complex.

—The United States locks up a lot of people.

Our prison population rate of roughly 700 per 100,000 is the second-highest of 222 countries tracked by the Institute for Criminal Policy Research.

Private correctional facilities were a $4.8 billion industry last year, with profits of $629 million, according to market research firm IBISWorld. Yet we “must protect our youth from the evil drug dealers”. ALL SUPPLY SIDE INTERVENTIONS ARE DOOMED TO FAIL.

EXAMPLE #3 – THE ADDICTION TREATMENT SYSTEM & THE RECOVERY MOVEMENT

—Another example: the indisputable “truths” which hold together our addiction treatment system ($46 billion industry) and our evolving centralized “recovery movement”.

TAKE NOTE: APF and their underlings are trying to “control” the movement; including the allocation of funding.

If you think ALL the “experts and gatekeepers” at the front of our “Recovery Movement” are putting forth pure objective unbiased info you are truly naive.

NOTE: I have great respect and admiration for many people and organizations in the Recovery space.

Even if I don’t agree with the others I know they aren’t bad people. They simply have an agenda and think they know best.

WE ALL DESERVE TO KNOW THE RULE OF THE GAME

APF tried to sneak in $10 million in Self Funding through legislation that we all fought for. Money that the entire “Recovery Movement” fought for.

By and large the “Recovery Movement” has been silent. Aside from some brave voices who are willing to walk their own path. Everyone else appears to be toeing the company line.

As a matter of fact I am starting to think I must be foolish for being upset about this.

It appears everyone else in the “movement” is cool with APF’s private deal. One thing for sure. This new recovery “thing” is certainly not a movement. It’s an evolving system and a burgeoning industry.

Or more accurately, an off shoot of the treatment system. History repeating itself.

That’s fine. But we all deserve to know the rules of the game.

PUNCHED IN THE GUT

CARA 2.0

APF doesn’t represent FAVOR GREENVILLE worldview.

When FAVOR GREENVILLE advocates for legislation and recovery money WE DO NOT support any of it being allocated to “literature and training”.

We had no idea that was part of the plan. This isn’t the first time FAVOR GREENVILLE has been punched in the gut.

In February 2018 I participated in an event in Washington DC that was broadcast-with the surgeon general; and some members of congress.

At that event we (the recovery movement) officially requested $220 million.

Shortly after that event Faces and Voices/ARCO sent out an email celebrating the fact that Sheldon Whitehouse (senator) seemed on board and the $220 million request stood.

STAND UP FOR ITSELF

APF

The recovery movement was finally going to stand up for itself and not just advocate for more money for treatment and the legacy provider system.

As the legislative process unfolded APF sent a letter to Congress proposing allocation of money in CARA 2.0 legislation.

It detailed where APF recommended the money go.

The amount allocated to recovery support (places like FAVOR; recovery housing etc…) was $7 million of a $4 billion proposal. $7 million instead of $220 million.

Furthermore, the APF letter that was sent to congress included a section that stated this request is supported by over 100 recovery organizations nationwide including the following: it then listed all the ARCO members. Including FAVOR Greenville

OVER-SIGHT OR MISCOMMUNICATION ???

I would have never signed off on those changes.

We were never ask about our support for that allocation. Not by APF; Not by Faces and Voices national.

I never said I agree with the APF document.

I never got the opportunity to review the document ahead of time. And when I did review it (after it was sent to Congress). I didn’t agree with much of it.

Perhaps it was oversight. Perhaps it was miscommunication.

CANNOT CONCEIVE

However, I can not conceive any circumstance where I would have the hubris to speak for another organization without written consent.

NO ONE SPEAKS FOR FAVOR GREENVILLE AND OUR AFFILIATES EXCEPT ME AND OUR BOARD CHAIR.

On one hand we are very frustrated at FAVOR GREENVILLE.

On the other hand it is good to have clarity and realistic expectations surrounding national advocacy.

NO INTENTION TO FUND

There is no intention to fund independent recovery supports.

It would not be politically expedient for APF and their associates to pursue such radical ideas. They will bank on toolkits and blueprints and resource lists. Much safer and acceptable to the status quo.

WE INTEND TO GAIN PROMINENCE

At FAVOR GREENVILLE we intend to gain prominence nationally based on merit and performance and winning in the free market. We know we won’t be invited to any advocacy awards dinners and we may be kicked out of the “club”.

However, we have realized that the the world outside the recovery bubble loves us and is willing to be part of the solution. Corporations, healthcare systems, benefits administrators, and the technology industry are willing partners.

WE KNOW WE CAN DELIVER

They judge us based on performance and value add. That makes us hopeful because we know we can deliver.

I would have stayed in the treatment system If I wanted to struggle with arbitrary gatekeepers and “experts”. It’s hard to abdicate authority to people who have never executed in the actual delivery of professional recovery services.

We have no intention of following people/organizations/protocols which operate mainly on theory.

Or worse organizations that just repackage the 60 year old treatment system.

I have little time nor tolerance for theory over practice.

I will follow the lead of people who add value and get things done effectively on the ground in direct service.

ACCESS TO UNLIMITED INFO

In modern society we have access to unlimited info. The isn’t 13th century feudal system where we have no info and we just need to accept that the king’s rule is “divinely ordained”.

Read. Educate yourself. Check out other sides. Access your own critical thinking. If you are in the “Recovery Movement” take time to investigate. Don’t blindly follow the herd.

For that matter. Challenge me as well. I’m not an “authority”. I just have an opinion.

Tell me how I’m wrong. Tell me where you differ.

Let’s talk!

RICHARD JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
864-764-8504 (cell)
Epidemic Visionary - Recovery Cartel Blog

Alien Sent to Earth to Solve the Epidemic

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Who is thinking about the behavioral health crisis in a visionary way in hopes to solve the epidemic.

Overdoses and suicides #1 and #2 in injury related deaths respectively. Anxiety, depression record setting levels.

Consider this…

Flat-Earth?

In order for people to discover the new world they had to allow for the possibility that the world was not flat.

  • Einstein proposed particle theory at a time when all scientists were certain light was a wave.
  • The American Revolution (1775-1783) took many ideas from the early civilizations of Greece and Rome and combined them with the Christian Bible to revolt against an authority that was unbending by embracing a completely new concept: a modern representative republic.
  • Gutenberg invented the printing press around 1440 changing the way that information is disseminated and changing the world. Before this monumental creation books were copied by hand and humans were limited in their ability to transform their lives/move beyond their immediate sphere.
  • The industrial revolution, the assembly line, the invention of the automobile ushered in a new era of urbanization and economic growth.
  • Steve Jobs decided it was possible to put the power of a mainframe computer in our pocket.
  • The internet has made instant access an everyday mundane experience.
  • Elon Musk is trying to solve the LA traffic problem by tunneling under the city. It looks like it will work.

We could go on and on… in each case the world changing development required visionary thinking.

Paradigm shifting….Risk taking….Not normal… behavior.

Are You Willing and Engaged?

Right now we are sure that the solution to our crisis is “more access” to the same services.

Or maybe we add some medicine and make that accessible.

Or maybe we develop an app to “monitor” progress.

All of these are built on the fundamental premise of a “willing and engaged client”.

That’s the paradigm. Help those who want it. You can’t make a person get help.

We are sure this is the case. We base the entire system of this fundamental premise.

Limited Vision

Are we, perhaps, limiting our view?

Is there a similar visionary way to think about behavioral health.

Reject everything we know about what works with mental health and substance use disorders.

Pretend you’re an alien sent to earth to solve the epidemic. And you have no preconceived ideas.

Maybe we can help people who don’t want help? Can we engage those who don’t want to be engaged?

Maybe you don’t have to hit bottom and become willing?

Maybe the Earth is Round??

Get rid of the concepts that limit us.

Even the concept of “Recovery” itself as it exists in our minds.

How would we solve the problem if we started from scratch? Where would we start?

Or…what concepts would we keep and what would we purge? What concepts could we borrow from other industries that may be useful in this industry?

What radical ideas would be generated if we weren’t limited by all the slogans and cliches that have been burned into our subconscious?

Strategic MultiNational Drug Cartel

Multinational Corporations With Strategic Plans

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Strategic Corporate Planning

The facts are in, the reports are published.

In 2017, in South Carolina there were more overdose deaths attributed to cocaine than heroin. Yep….

As we push down on opioids and continue our preoccupation with one class of drugs we throw the doors wide open for the escalation of other substances.

Drug cartels are not thugs on the corner acting up and slinging dope.

Multinational Corporations

They are multinational corporations with strategic plans, sophisticated laboratories and business acumen.

As the country focus on suppressing opioids and reducing demand for opioids what’s the logical play?

Bring a new product to the market and/or recommit to an existing product.

Cocaine and methamphetamine have never left; but they are becoming more of an issue.

What’s the next “Super-Dope”

Also….will there be efforts to crank up potency and attempt to make cocaine more “addictive”.

If it’s the new product lead why not focus on increasing return customers.

They cranked up heroin. More potent. Fentanyl. (Thanks China)

What’s the R & D department gonna come up with as it relates to stimulants?

And alcohol remains the primary destroyer with 88,000 dead per year.

New Not Old Solutions

We must focus on new solutions to a substance misuse problem.

To the addiction problem.

Not old solutions for one particular substance.

Bleak New Estimates From The CDC - 72,000 DEAD!

Our Kids Are Still DYING —- 72,000 DEAD!

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Horrible, bleak new estimates from the “Centers For Disease Control and Prevention” on overdoses – 72,000 in 2017.

“Drug overdoses killed about 72,000 Americans last year, a record number that reflects a rise of around 10 percent, according to new preliminary estimates from the Centers for Disease Control. The death toll is higher than the peak yearly death totals from H.I.V., car crashes or gun deaths.” – New York Times

If you read the complete article you will also see that “…there are also encouraging signs from states that have prioritized public health campaigns and addiction treatment”. The 2018 numbers are trending down in many parts of the country and the “rate of increase” is slowing overall.

However, 72,000 overdose deaths is staggering.

Estimate from CDC

The New Normal

Unprecedented and hard to wrap your mind around that reality.

Furthermore, we know this is an “addiction epidemic” not an overdose epidemic. As we have discussed before; add in suicide rates and untreated mental health.

Record setting anxiety among young people. Are we still alarmed or are we numb?

Will these results become the new normal?

The response you see from the industry is a doubling down on standard operating procedure. Countless pleas for “more treatment and longer stays”. Countless pleas to the addicted individuals to “call now for help; save yourself”.

The answer to this crisis is not to simply keep shouting “come get help”…

OF COURSE WE WANT YOU TO GO GET HELP. OF COURSE WE WANT YOU TO GO TO A QUALITY TREATMENT PROGRAM. DO IT…GET HELP TODAY. CALL NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Only 10%

But we know only about 10% of people will actually do so.

Are  people still thinking that this statistic is a lie?

Do they think the federal government just makes that up?

Do people think that addicted people will all the sudden wake up and go get help because of a Facebook ad or television commercial?

All the sudden the unwilling are going to become willing?

Crossroad as a Nation

We are at a crossroad as a country…a crossroad as a society.

This is not unprecedented. This happens in the course of human evolution. It is not 1972. Things change.

When “rehab” was invented there was no internet, no cell phones, no fentanyl, no 18 year old heroin addicts, no K-2 spice, no kratom, no legal weed, no social media….

I mean, it is insane that the basic procedure and response to this issue remains unchanged.

Basic Procedure

  1. Tell people they need help
  2. Tell families not to enable
  3. Wait until they hit bottom
  4. Get them to go to treatment
  5. Get them to go to 90 meetings in 90 days.

Watch them live happily ever after.

This will work if you work it… but what if you don’t?

Holy Cow…. It appears we are going to ride this bus off the cliff.

Addiction is Not a Disease – Really?

Overall Americans don’t think addiction is a disease.

We don’t treat it as a disease. We use the “disease of addiction” as a source of entertainment; TV shows; social media; etc….

We follow addicted people with cameras and document their use.

Document their self destruction and ugly behavior. We turn them into a sideshow.

Our policies do not reflect addiction as a disease. Imagine being an everyday uninformed citizen and coming across your average recovery feed or reality TV show?

Imagine the perception that person comes away with? Those of us in recovery may love to hear what is was like, what happened and what its like now…

But your average PTA member recoils at the “I was living in a dumpster behind Taco Bell” type details.

Addiction and recovery is becoming a circus freak show. Come watch the addicts put themselves on display. Good God.

A Need For Disruption

This industry is in desperate need of disruption.

But change in healthcare is difficult for many reasons and change in the behavioral healthcare space is even more difficult because of the “mysterious” process of getting better and the blurred lines between personal and professional experience.

Perhaps the most significant barrier is the “you’re gonna kill people barrier“.

If you try to do something radically different in this domain people push down the innovation by stating “that’s gonna hurt people; you’re gonna get people killed“.

As if people aren’t already dying?

Disruption implies the creation of something completely new.

Invention vs. innovation. Invention is creating something new. Innovation is tweaking the existing process.

ONCE MORE: TREATMENT WORKS IF YOU GO AND YOU ARE WILLING AND YOU “WORK IT”.

SO CALL NOW… GO GET HELP.

But this is way beyond that willing person… Sorry to be such a buzzkill…

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