Improving Recruitment, Retention and Rewards are critical to Success

For Immediate Release - Washington, DC

Donovan Kuehn
703-741-7686, ext. 125
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Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, Executive Director of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, testified before the national Blueprint for the States Policy Panel in Washington D.C on Monday, February 13, 2006. Moreno Tuohy focused on critical areas of workforce recruitment, retention and rewards in her comments.

The Blueprint for the States Policy Panel was convened by Join Together, a program of the Boston University School of Public Health. Government-funded programs provide most of the addiction treatment and prevention services in the US, and states are in the forefront of efforts to prevent and treat alcohol and drug problems. The panel will present state leaders and concerned citizens with practical suggestions that foster leadership, effective policy development and collaboration, best clinical practices and appropriate levels of funding to address their state's treatment and prevention challenges.

Moreno Tuohy stated that the Addiction Services Profession, as well as the "federal and state governments, must concentrate great amounts of energy on recruiting bright, young, energetic people to pursue a career in addiction counseling. The government, non-profit associations, and private industry must collaborate in order to create a 'career arc' that will take new professionals from student to trainee to counselor to supervisor. There must be a future in the field and room for advancement for promising young counselors; otherwise, there will be great difficulty in recruitment."

Moreno Tuohy also felt that the current wage structure needs to be addressed. She explained, "Many Addiction Services Professionals across the US currently qualify for food stamps while working full time. This is not acceptable, especially if we want quality, competent and long-term professionals. Salaries and benefits should be based on credentials and levels of training."

The Blueprint for the States Policy Panel is chaired by Michael Dukakis, former governor of Massachusetts, Hon. Pat George, Kansas House Republican legislator, Patricia Kempthorne, First Lady of Idaho and other prominent opinion leaders. For a full list of participants and panelists, or to submit written testimony, please visit http://www.jointogether.org and click on "Blueprint for the States."

Full testimony by Moreno Tuohy