Peer support is an evolving discipline. It’s a relatively new discipline. Standards are still being defined.

Like any other profession: there is great variability in terms of quality.

Completion of a training doesn’t equal effectiveness as a coach. We need time, supervision, and structure to hone our craft. It takes time to get good at coaching.

💥💥💥 “If you hone something, for example a skill, technique, idea, or product, you carefully develop it over a long period of time so that it is exactly right for your purpose”.

Our goals are:

✅ help advance the evolution of peer support. Specifically, develop assertive engagement specialists. Refine that specialty.
✅ enhance the experience with technology
✅ redefine “family recovery coaching”
✅ establish ourselves as the nation’s premier provider of peer support services.

ABOUT RICH JONES MA, MBA, LCAS, SAP
EVP & EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HERITAGE CARES

Executive Vice President (EVP) at Heritage Health Solutions, Inc.
Chief Strategy Officer Co-Founder at Youturn,
CEO at Wellness Partners Group
CEO/President at Jones Solutions Group
Former CEO at FAVOR Greenville

Visit Heritage Health at – Click Here

For Addiction Support Info – Click Here

Please Subscribe to the Recovery Cartel – Click Here

The post Peer Support Is Evolving!!! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

It’s Not Enough To Be “Awesome”

So you call your program “Awesome”.

You can not open enough “Awesome” rehabs, hire enough “Awesome” counselors, distribute enough “Awesome” medication, or open enough “Awesome” intensive outpatient programs to arrest the ongoing addiction epidemic.

The issue is not “messaging”, or insurance parity or funding for early education and prevention.

All of these “interventions/programs” touch only a fraction of the “problem”.

Willing & Wanting

These programs all lean on the fundamental assumption of a “willing client” who shows up and does what he or she is told…

“You gotta want it”…

I heard it proudly proclaimed in a professional setting again yesterday.

The “hit bottom” attitude and mentality is pervasive throughout the industry.

It’s Stunning.

I’m not even sure people know how they sound when they spout this stuff. Or do they actually believe this shit?

The issue is very fundamental. The issue is easy to identify and can be effectively addressed.

In a cost effective manner.

One More Time…From The Top:

1. 90% of people in need of help never never get help.
2. When you ask them why they don’t get help: only about 5% say I tried but couldn’t access help.
3. The rest say something like “I don’t need” help. Which, by the way, is a predictable and naturally occurring psychological defence response. In most cases its not even true. In most cases the person is scared, full of shame, full of fear. And this can be processed.
4. Society responds to the people who say “I don’t need help” by saying “let them hit bottom and have enough pain” and they will come to treatment and do what they are told.

Private treatment organizations have annual conferences to celebrate how excellent they are at working with people who do as they are told

Every “innovation” is focused on the willing client.

There Is A Solution:

Consider this, there are programs like FAVOR Greenville (and others) that are experts at engaging the “unwilling client”.

There are outreach models from other aspects of healthcare that can be benchmarked.

WE CAN CONNECT TO THE DISCONNECTED. And connected people GET BETTER.

It’s a fact. Lower health care costs. Less time in jail. Increased employment. All of the quality of life indicators improve.

Stay In Your Lane

This service CAN NOT be delivered by treatment providers. Stay in your lane.

Let us do what we do. You do what you do. If you back off you will get more “clients”.

You will get more “heads in beds”. You have no idea how to do this type of work.

The hit bottom mentality is deeply ingrained and will take decades to work its way out of the collective industry culture.

Think of FAVOR Greenville (and others) as a vendor you can hire.

State governments. Private providers. Insurance companies and others.

The 5-Year Model

Hire us and watch the return on investment as people show up for outpatient appointments; stay out of emergency rooms; return to the workforce.

NOTE: this is NOT a “warm hand-off” model. This is a 5 year follow up model.

Be careful where you shop for this specialized service.

Like a shady mechanic. They will take advantage of you because you don’t really understand how this works.

You Can Do More

This model can be parsed out much further and deeper. There is more we can do.

The entire referral process could be changed. Changed to increase engagement. But I don’t want to distract.

You can use this…. but caution. Talking like this will get thrown out of the club.

You won’t be invited to speak at this year’s “We Are Awesome” conference.

Calm down… It’s just a discussion.

The post You Are So “Awesome” – NOPE! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Conversations Must Change

Frustrated with some recent interactions concerning addiction professionals

I made the mistake of getting baited into the debate. Pulled into the fray. I have zero self control. So I jumped in.

Now I might as well run with it…

For The Professionals

To all the professionals working in “addiction treatment/recovery” industry:

We all need to work hard to change the conversation surrounding substance use disorders.

We know that people who progress into the most severe stage of this disorder do outrageous, dangerous, unacceptable things along the way.

Flipping Intense

That’s why it gets so intense and everyone flips out if someone “relapses”. By the way it’s not a “relapse” unless it’s return to full symptoms and the criteria are met.

It could just be “they used a substance”.

This is not black and white, win or lose. Either you are “In the club” or “out of the club”.

If you are a healthcare provider then act like one.

Just for clarification, if you are a licensed facility/professional you are technically a healthcare provider.

This mentality hurts everyone. It hurts families as well. Creates hysteria. God help us all. 🙏🙏

Classification

Furthermore …The disorder is classified as mild / moderate / severe.

Stop treating everyone as severe or waiting until it progresses to severe.

Get in game earlier. Adjust your approach to the individual. Not the individual to your approach.

Even if the disorder is severe. The disorder, like all other disorders, will manifest itself differently in different people.

The entire world of medicine knows that behavioral health (which includes SUD) epitomizes “intuitive healthcare”.

No Right, No Wrong

There is no right or wrong because there is no precision.

It’s not a broken leg where you can point to the problem and the definitive solution.

It’s “judgement”. Stop acting as if you know what works for everyone.

No one knows what works for everyone. The best we can do is guide and encourage. YOU DON’T KNOW.

You Are A Professional

Again, you are a professional…WHO CARES WHAT WORKED FOR YOU…

You are in the role of a healthcare provider. Not the Chairman of your Home Group.

I hope my doctor doesn’t just pray over me because it “worked for him”…

There is more we DON’T know about addiction than we do know.

It’s never been researched or studied until recently. This is all new.

In 10 Years

There will be breakthroughs and the way we handle this disorder will be completely different within 10 years. In terms of your own self interest…. open your mind.

You will be out of business if you keep on this path.

God bless America… 🙏🙏🙏

You Are Not Unsinkable

Sir…that’s an iceberg on the horizon. Maybe we should change course?

Nonsense Richard…. this is the Titanic. Unsinkable. The finest ship ever built.

God save the Queen..🙏🙏

The post The Finest Ship Ever Built – Unsinkable appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

Substance Use Disorders & The “Crisis”

Some of my favorite people in the world pictured above. This crew is part of our first cohort of medical students trained as recovery coaches with the University of South Carolina School of Medicine Greenville – in June of 2017. Here they learn about addiction and come to understand that Substance Use Disorders have different variations or severity indicators. They are classed as mild, moderate, or severe.

But before we sign off on the “more access to treatment” narrative, we should think this “addiction crisis” through a little bit.

When we say 10% of people in America need help with a substance use disorder this does NOT mean 10% of people in America are “addicted”.

Not A Medical Term

The word “addicted” is not even a medical term. The terminology is “substance use disorder”, and as mentioned above, it ranges in severity from mild to moderate to severe.

The closest terminology to “addiction” would be “SUD severe”.

Clearly, substance use is a disorder that should be treated across the spectrum, from mild to severe.

However, we tend to focus only on the severe part of the spectrum.

The mild and moderate folks are essentially ignored until they become severe; and even then only a fraction of the severe group ever seek help.

Treatment Mismatch

This creates a treatment mismatch. Over time we have developed practices to serve this exceedingly small slice of the substance use disorder pie. Those with “severe” disorders who actually show up for treatment.

Nearly every traditional service is inappropriate for those in the “mild” category.

Moderate conditions may be a better fit but many times this is also a treatment mismatch.

People are placed into the existing stream of care regardless of their particular needs.

SUD support services are not client centered because they can’t make the business work; and you can’t help people if you are out of business.

REALTALK:

The business model drives client placement and the provider has no choice but to “fit” the patient into the model that is reimbursed.

Putting someone who meets criteria for “mild” into rehab or intensive outpatient groups will cause more harm than good.

The same could probably be said for those in the “moderate” range. They can’t relate. They are less likely to follow through on recommendations.

The label “treatment resistant” will be placed on the person as they struggle to make sense of this bizarre situation.

The Resistant Label

I have seen this first hand with the college athletes in my practice.

They make a mistake or use bad judgement and they are hit with a positive urine drug screen.

Then they go for an assessment at a local “drug and alcohol clinic”.

They are then pigeonholed into programming that makes the situation much worse.

For example, they are place into intensive outpatient groups.

The groups take them away from the most positive group in their life: the team.

They will be labeled resistant if they don’t come to group and held accountable. That is totally Ridiculous!

A New Programming Model

Fortunately, the schools I work with are amenable to innovative thinking.

This is primarily a payer issue to fix. They could make this different overnight.

If there was willingness to make some bold moves.

No treatment provider is going to make a move until we have a business model that supports a new programming model.

Excessive Juuling – ???

I saw an article the other day where a teenager was sent to “rehab” for excessive use of his “Juul”.

I’m sure that excessive “juuling” can be dangerous but it is not appropriate to roll this kid through inpatient.

Maybe the article was fake news. I never know. Things are so outrageous.

The Medical Process

If we nest addiction treatment in healthcare it is much more likely the mild and moderate issues will be addressed.

If we can make it a routine part of the medical process.

The healthcare system will still need to send people with “SUD severe” for specialty care.

100% & 5%

There will always be a need for rehab. Just not so many destination rehabs (that’s a secondary gain from the shift). More community based services and more local treatment.

We can not rely on the paradigm and practices that come out of working with the most severe to guide our work with the entire SUD population.

We are basing 100% of our model on 5% (at best) of the problem.

The post Treatment For ALL Substance Use Disorders appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

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.

The post Talk about Substance Use ??? Yes It Really Is OK! appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

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 post The Times They Are A Changin’… Bob Dylan appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

THE RECOVERY MOONSHOT
#MoonShotThinking

“Leaps of innovation require a bravery that borders on absurdity.” – Astro Teller

When we fight for money that is designed to primarily feed legacy systems and structures we are fighting for incremental change.

When we roll out solutions centered around access to more detox beds.

When we scream about insurance parity to pay for conventional services.

When we champion sweeping access to medication treatment we are “hoping” for incremental improvement. 10% improvement (at best).

Look at all the Addiction/Recovery books and blueprints and toolkits and proposed solutions out there.

I defy you to find one that is unique from the others. They are all essentially the same.

A THOUGHT EXPERIMENT:

If you were ask to “solve our addiction crisis” via any means necessary and told use your imagination.

What would you say. Would you propose more money for more of the same as a unique idea?

Or would you have the courage to propose ideas that may get you laughed out of the room? Would you be willing to be impractical?

I say be impractical. The establishment will not approve. But the rest of the world will be drawn to you.

People want to be inspired. They want to have hope. Especially those outside the bubble.

HERE IS AN IDEA

I’m not concerned someone will steal it… it’s not “normal” and it’s not currently an approved “evidenced based practice” and there is no funding available….

First we need to identify 1 to 3 components of this complex issue to address.

Let’s focus on 2 specific aspects of the addiction problem:

A) We have a shortage of exceptional therapists/providers.

This is best illustrated when therapists or program directors etc… are told “you need to be cloned”. There is a gap in provider abilities that has been well documented. Not all providers are created equal.

B) Another major issue is engagement or follow through on treatment plans.

The person simply will not attend meetings or go to therapy etc…. this is overwhelmingly common phenomenon.

Our society has accepted this. And we justify the outcomes by saying “they weren’t ready”. Or they “need to hit bottom and become willing”.

A SOLUTION – #MOONSHOT

Create 3-d holograms of the world’s most effective providers and therapists.

Holograms are so realistic they frequently can not be differentiated from the real person.

Use Artificial Intelligence and machine learning to guide the verbal responses and non-verbal responses of the hologram therapist as he/she interacts with the “non-compliant” client.

Make the focus for the hologram be on encouraging the person to attend conventional programming.

The hologram serves as an engagement piece.

They are already working on holograms of the world’s best teachers to be streamed into underprivileged classrooms around the world.

Provide a system that projects the hologram into the person’s home.

24/7/375 ANYWHERE – ANYTIME – ANY REASON

Making access available 24 hrs a day 7 days a week.

If it’s a teen client, then provide the parents with a way that all access to mobile phone etc… is tied to completion of the holograms lesson. You can build in all kind of accountability for any client.

SCREENING/SELF ASSESSMENT:

if you are laughing at this: You now know you are not interested in transformation.

If you immediately start listing the reasons why this won’t work or if recovery slogans pop-up in you mind to explain why this wouldn’t work: You now know you are into the status quo.

WE NEED YOU, STILL

We can’t abandon the current system until we have an alternative. You are interested in system maintenance over transformation.

I will support all your efforts while we continue working toward a world changing solution.

I will support the incremental improvements while I work in the back room to find a massive solution.

I will be a good soldier as we try to put a band aid on society’s gaping addiction wound.

But… I’m going to report to the lab for my 7 pm to 2 am job and will not be content with more of the same.

I hope everyone out there can clearly see this problem is going to be solved by evil capitalists.

The post #MoonShotThinking – Solve Our Addiction Crisis – Forever appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

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

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

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)

The post THIS PROBLEM GOES BEYOND THE EVIL PHARMA EMPIRE appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

THIS IS AN OBSERVATION
BY RICH JONES | RECOVERY CARTEL

It sounds sarcastic and provocative but it’s truly an observation. And the points I make are unassailable.

I challenge someone to tell me what I’m missing.

With the facts below in mind, understand that the long standing manifestation of treatment/“rehab” is unsustainable.

The approach used to get customers is so insanely one dimensional and insulting to the average human being that it is unsustainable.

ONLY 10%

No wonder only 10% ever show up for treatment.

The reason it has lasted this long is the stigma.

No one in the outside business world wanted in on this industry because it’s a stigmatized patient group. No one creative considers involvement because those “scum-bag” addicts are an afterthought.

A NEW BUSINESS MODEL

Historically, if an outsider does decide to get in they just followed the rehab formula because it was a proven business model.

No one bothered thinking about creative destruction and inventing a new business model.

As stigma is reduced and awareness raised more and more outsiders will become involved. And things will change.

A new business model will emerge.

Marketing in the addiction Treatment/Recovery industry is really only focused on filling rehab beds and appears to fall into one of 8 categories/strategies; or a combination of these strategies:

8 CATEGORIES / STRATEGIES 

1. Hire someone/maintain team to do face to face business development to outpatient, doctors, etc…. focus on legacy relationships, brand and reputation to fill beds. Use outpatient clinics to funnel clients as appropriate. This is mostly used by the large legacy programs and integrated massive systems.
2. Digital media (Facebook, Instagram etc…) with the apparent strategy being create a persona or use pseudo-celebrity/actually celebrity to basically tell his/her 12 step story over and over….while encouraging people to call now for help.
3. Digital media where these same personas, pseudo celebrities/real celebrities diss other pseudo celebrities etc…. while encouraging people to call now for help.
4. Digital media where these pseudo celebrities etc….tell parents they are enablers and killing their kids….while encouraging people to call now for help.
5. Google ad-words at hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
6. Annual conferences (NAATP, C-4 etc….) where people talk about the latest innovation in treatment and ethical marketing practices. While encouraging one another to “keep us in mind if you think you have a fit for our program”….
7. Some guy in doctor scrubs on television in the lowest production value commercial in the history of TV encouraging people to call now if you or a loved one need help.
8. Body brokers.

With the exception of number 1 and number 6. The content of the marketing message, despite the platform or avenue of delivery, is essentially

• “You’re hopelessly addicted. You’re in denial about that. Call now and get help. Or you’re gonna die”….. or
• “You’re loved one is hopelessly addicted. Get your shit together and stop enabling. Call now or they are gonna die”…..

Number 1 works because the narrative of “we are the expert healthcare providers/treatment providers and state of the art etc….” and “we are really you’re one best option” has never really been challenged.

Legacy and brand is hard to overcome.

Number 6 is just an excuse to visit a posh resort and play golf. 😎😎😎😎

This is an industry that is going to get completely turned upside down as soon as the knowledge of the issue (and the associated opportunities) escapes the Recovery Bubble. Begging for disruption….moral imperative to do so.

Anyone remember Blockbuster??

The post Just My Observation – Tell Me What Am I Missing? appeared first on The Recovery Cartel.

YOU AREN’T UNIQUE IF YOU SIMPLY PICK A DIFFERENT HERD TO FOLLOW

At the very least. I will challenge your thinking. You may not agree but you will learn.

You may hate on me. But you will think.

No one else will talk about this stuff.

If everyone is innovative in the same way is it actually innovative?

If everyone in the “new movement” thinks and talks in the same way, following a model of thinking which has been slightly tweaked from the old model, is that innovative? #realtalk.

Very important; if you think you want to get into the Recovery Support Services game: It’s not easy.

You may want to think again.

You’re Likely to Fail and Quit

There is no dedicated funding (and none on the horizon) and you’re likely to fail and quit early and/or limp along for years.

Don’t hate me for calling it like it is.

If you want to approach it from a professional standpoint it’s even more challenging.

If you want to do some service on the side it will probably be a fit. But if that’s the goal why bother with a movement?? There are many well established outlets for service.

Professional Recovery Support

I’m interested in the development of Recovery Support as a profession.

The company, Y Combinator,  coined the term “Trough of Sorrow”.

This term refers to the period of struggle a startup faces after a setback and inevitable challenges.

Following the initial excitement of starting a company or a project or major initiative you face the reality of product fit within the market.

In the case of Recovery Organizations or Recovery Support Services we see this over and over.

The “idea” of starting Recovery Organizations and initiatives is much easier than implementation. Even harder to establish yourself among the bureaucracy, regulators, funders, and the legacy recovery groups.

The Challenge

That’s our challenge to find product fit (Recovery Support) in the market (bureaucratic funding and regulator malaise).

It’s a monumental task to survive the trough of sorrow.

It’s very rare to survive the trough. And, dare I say, it requires very, very unique and resourceful leadership.

Most people can not pull this off. Most people quit during the trough of sorrow.

In the recovery organization/services world many can quit because their lives and livelihood does not depend on the product.

Burn The Boats

If you burn the boats at the shore of the island and have no choice but to make it work, things get more intense.

When it’s viewed as a professional business you will die trying.

If it’s an outlet or service work on the side you aren’t as desperate to succeed. Logical right?

“Service work” is important and needed but things go next level when your personal world depends on success of the “movement”.

High Stakes

If your life, your family, your livelihood depend on success the stakes are much higher.

People wind up flaming out, imploded, destroying themselves, and doing all kinds of crazy shit in the trough.

An organization or business can be in the trough for years.

There is no magic to get through. Really… just moving forward and constant and continuous work.

Unceasing and never ending work.

Working just as hard while going through family crisis.

Keeping Moving

Chop wood carry water. It’s not a hobby. Compartmentalize and move forward. Working when everyone tells you that you work too much.

It’s all more difficult to do all this in the non-profit “recovery organization” world because there is no ultimate destination or goal. No exit or ultimate promised land. You don’t get bought.

You don’t get acquired and go to scale.

It’s essentially a job not a business. You do it until you retire. And the ultimate payoff is your contribution to the world. Your corner of the world is better because of your effort. Good stuff. But limited in scope.

Oh…you can write this off in that cliched, silly way: “it’s greedy to do for profit work….it’s less noble etc….”. Y’all know the story.

High Pressure – High Risk = HIGH REWARD

I’m gonna continue to bring the “burn the boat and survive” mentality to the non-profit world.

I’m gonna make sure FAVOR GREENVILLE goes hard all day everyday. Set the standard for community recovery support services. Our goal is scale at whatever level possible.

But…high pressure; high risk; HIGH REWARD is what ultimately changes the world.

Can we conjure up that mentality….. Something to think about.. Hmmmmm….🤔🤔🤔🤔

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