Collaborative Advocacy Efforts Aimed at Re-Shaping Addiction Policy

For Immediate Release - Alexandria, VA

Donovan Kuehn
703-741-7686, ext. 125
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The issues of addiction funding, workforce and insurance discrimination may not be familiar to legislators on Capitol Hill, but they soon will be. Two of the nation's largest addiction-focused organizations plan to meet with lawmakers and focus attention on addiction prevention, treatment and recovery.

From March 9-11, members from NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, the largest organization serving addiction-focused professionals, and the National Association for Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), will converge on Capitol Hill to speak on behalf of 80,000 dedicated addiction services professionals throughout the U.S. These professionals and treatment facilities are part of the network serving 22 million Americans who suffer from addictive disorders.

Participants in the Advocacy in Action Conference will focus on legislative issues affecting the addiction services profession and will have the opportunity to get involved in mentoring, policy development and educational efforts with legislators.

This year's special guests include Sally Ganem, the First Lady of Nebraska, and Representatives Danny K. Davis, Patrick Kennedy and Jim Ramstad.

"Advocacy in Action is an excellent opportunity for addiction services professionals from across the United States to come to Washington, DC, to hear from leading advocates on addiction policy and to meet with their national representatives. In a concerted effort, these professionals come together and learn about key issues facing the addiction treatment profession today," said Gerard J. Schmidt, MA, LPC, MAC, co-chair of the NAADAC-NAATP Public Policy Committee.

For more information on the Advocacy in Action Conference, please visit www.naadc.org, www.naatp.org or call 800.548.0497.