See and watch stories featuring NAADAC, its staff, its leadership, and its affiliates.
Addiction Exists Everywhere, MWSU Expert Says, by Marcus Clem, News-Press NOW, November 16, 2022 (PDF Version) (News Clip)
“As much as we want to say that the system is ‘rehabilitative’ — it’s easy for us to send someone to jail or prison for their drug problem, and they’ll come out cured of their problems — the reality is, things aren’t in place to actually do that,” said Michael D. Birmingham Sr., PhD.
The Player-Coaches of Addiction Recovery Work Without Boundaries, by Rae Ellen Bichell, Kaiser Health News, November 16, 2022 (PDF Version)
“When we’re working and talking and troubleshooting different approaches to solve the opioid crisis, we should have the people that have been directly affected by those issues in the room, guiding those conversations,” said Kyle Brewer, Peer Specialist Program Manager for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals.
National Addiction Professionals Day: A Time for Recognition, by Jenny Diedrich, Treatment Magazine, September 13, 2022 (PDF Version)
“It’s important that the government shows support because it lends credence to the profession,” says Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, Executive Director of NAADAC. “Addiction still is stigmatized, and the people who serve addiction still are stigmatized.”
2022 Future 50: Kyle Brewer, NAADAC, by AMP Staff, Arkansas Money & Politics, July 12, 2022 (PDF Version)
"Kyle Brewer is the peer specialist program manager for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, where he manages the Arkansas Peer Specialist program. Brewer oversees the development and implementation of a three-tier credentialing process (Core, Advanced, Supervision) for the Arkansas Peer Support Model."
Stopping the Cycle of Addiction, The Facing Project, NPR, June 25, 2022 (Full Interview)
Featuring NAADAC Peer Specialist Program Manager Kyle Brewer, BS, PRPS
Debunking Harm Reduction Program Misinformation, #RolandMartinUnfiltered, February 9, 2022 (Full Interview)
Featuring Lisa Peterson, LMHC, LCDP, LCDS, MAC, and Cyril M. Scovens, MS, CAC-AD
What's the Status of RI's Landmark 'Safe-Injection Sites' Program? Outreach Is Underway, by Katie Mulvaney, The Providence Journal, May 15, 2022 (PDF Version)
“We really want to move cautiously, because the first one will set the stage for others to come,” said Lisa Peterson, chief operating officer at VICTA [and President of NAADAC's Rhode Island affiliate, the Rhode Island Association for Addiction Professionals (RIAAP)]. The center must first be approved by city or town leaders in the community in which it is proposed before being licensed by the state Department of Health, a steep hurdle by all accounts.
Baldwin, Warren, Maloney Lead More than 100 Democrats in Senate and House in Reintroducing Landmark CARE Act to Combat the Substance Use Epidemic, Tammy Baldwin, December 16, 2021 (PDF Version)
“'Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) shows that overdoses are increasing during the COVID-19 pandemic,' said Michael Kemp, Recovery and Addiction Professionals of Wisconsin. 'Recovery & Addiction Professionals of Wisconsin, representing 2000+ addiction professionals in Wisconsin, wants to thank Senator Baldwin and voice our strong support for the Comprehensive Addiction Resources Emergency Act or CARE Act...'"
Understanding the Complex Causes of Addiction, by Humanity Lab Foundation and Hueman Group Media, Finding Humanity, November 24, 2021 (Podcast)
Featuring Carol McDaid, a D.C. lobbyist specializing in addiction and mental health policy, Diane Sevening, former President of the Association for Addiction Professionals and Assistant Professor at The University of South Dakota, and Marta Michelle Colon, Founder of BeGutsy, a national campaign that educates the Latinx community on the dangers of opioid use.
The Push to Keep Pandemic-Era Addiction Policies, by Erin Durkin, National Journal, November 22, 2021 (PDF Version)
"Michael Kemp, co-chair of the Public Policy Committee for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, said the mental-health-parity law hasn’t been consistently enforced. 'One of the things that we’ve been really working on is trying to put some teeth into the parity law, some enforcement,' he said, adding that the Build Back Better Act provision would achieve that goal."
Shrinks Rap Podcast, with James "Kansas" Cafferty, LMFT, MAC, and Rafael Cortina, MFT, Shrinks Rap, October 19, 2021
"Kansas Cafferty has worked in the fields of mental health and substance use disorders since 1997. In all levels of care from acute hospitalization to weekly therapy. He has experience with adolescents, first responders, survivors of trauma, and those afflicted with varied addictions among other issues such as mood disorders and anxiety."
Students, Leaders Rally at Capitol, by Log Cabin Democrat, The Cabin, October 19, 2021 (PDF Version)
"Speakers at the rally brought attention to the opioid epidemic in Arkansas, the added strain that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought, and the need for Arkansans to come together to help people struggling with addiction."
Addiction Specialist Uses His Story to Help Others Find Recovery, by Alyson Courtney, ABC7 KATV, August 9, 2021 (PDF Version)
“Kyle Brewer has a degree in addiction studies, runs the Arkansas peer specialist program for NAADAC-The Association for Addiction Professionals, and spends time working in the ER at UAMS assisting patients who are struggling with substance abuse or addiction."
Reps. McClain, Trone Introduce Bipartisan Legislation to Confront the Stigma Surrounding Substance Use Disorders, McClain.House.gov, June 30, 2021 (PDF Version)
“All too often addiction is treated like a moral failure instead of a disease that kills tens of thousands of people every year,” said Congressman David Trone, founder of the Bipartisan Addiction and Mental Health Task Force."
Dems’ Bill Would End ‘War on Drugs,’ Legalize Possession of Everything from Weed to Heroin, by Kery Murakami, The Washington Times, June 15, 2021 (PDF Version)
"The idea of sending addicts to jail defies the science of addiction as a medical condition, said Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, executive director of the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors."
La Hacienda Treatment Center Leads National Advocacy Conference in Support of Addiction Treatment, Yahoo!Finance, April 23, 2021 (PDF Version)
"As she has done for many years now, Layton, through her role as Public Policy Committee Co-Chair for NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, helped produce the body’s 2021 Advocacy in Action Conference & Virtual Hill Day."
Drug Overdoses an Unintended Consequence of COVID Stimulus Payments, by Audrey Conklin, Fox News, March 27, 2021 (PDF Version)
"You’ve got an influx of cash and a decrease in the street cost of heroin, an increase in the availability of fentanyl, and so, all of those things coming together just creates a melting pot of possibility." —Gerard Schmidt, chief operations officer at Valley HealthCare System in West Virginia and former president of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals.
Eating Disorders Much More Widespread Than We Thought, by William Wagner, Treatment Magazine, March 11, 2021 (PDF Version)
"One of the biggest myths about eating disorders is that they’re a 'female thing.' Not true. Eating disorders affect everyone—and they’re doing so in numbers much larger than previously estimated."
The Racial Divide in Addiction Treatment, by William Wagner, Treatment Magazine, Febraury 18, 2021 (PDF Version)
"When you have diversity in every single bubble of the treatment industry, then it forces those conversations to make sure we’re not missing people.”—Nzinga Harrison, M.D., host of the “In Recovery” podcast and chief medical officer of the outpatient addiction and mental health provider Eleanor Health
What Was Lost When COVID Forced Addiction Support Groups Online — and What Was Gained, by Allyson Chiu, The Washington Post, November 23, 2020 (PDF Version)
“It’s a good alternative, but it’s not a perfect alternative, and it doesn’t fit for everyone,” said Gerry Schmidt, chief operations officer at Valley HealthCare System in West Virginia and former president of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals."
Part 1: How to Start Your Search for a Treatment Center, by William Wagner, Treatment Magazine, September 21, 2020 (PDF Version)
“The hardest part is fear—fear of the unknown, fear of whether it will work, fear of what people will think,” says Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, executive director of NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals."
Addiction and COVID-19: Specialized Treatment Matters, by Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP, Opioid Awareness, September 15, 2020 (PDF Version)
"Although the pandemic on everyone’s mind is COVID-19, this country is also in the midst of an addiction pandemic. Both are destructive, affect entire communities, and claim lives. Both have unintended and often misunderstood symptoms and side effects, and both can cause lasting harm."
From Darkness to Gratitude, by William Wagner, Treatment Magazine, August 11, 2020 (PDF Version)
"You never want to give up on someone, because you don’t know what’s in their brain or heart. Every day, my recovery program is to wake up and give gratitude.”—Cynthia Moreno Tuohy"
The Coronavirus Is Keeping Addiction Counselors From Their Patients. So The Industry Has Transformed., by Paul McLeod, BuzzFeed News, May 6, 2020 (PDF Version)
"Addiction professionals across the country told BuzzFeed News that they first scrambled to adapt to the outbreak, but have ended up having lots of uptake for their new remote services. “We’ve kind of had to reinvent ourselves over the past six weeks,” said Gerry Schmidt of Valley HealthCare System in Morgantown, West Virginia."
It's stockpiling, but not as you know it. Why coronavirus is making people hoard illegal drugs, by Emma Reynolds, CNN World, April 5, 2020 (PDF Version)
"Federal confidentiality laws in the US have been relaxed to allow people to access counseling and peer support faster. NAADAC is offering telehealth training, and resources to help clients find services available in their state."Whenever there's a natural disaster, we know that relapse goes up, because of anxiety, the fear of the unknown," said Tuohy. "Now we have an ongoing, natural disaster, if you will."
COVID-19 Attacks Patient, Staff Morale With Equal Force, by Gary A. Enos, Addiction Professional, April 1, 2020 (PDF Version)
"Some counselors feel overwhelmed by not being able to see their patients face-to-face and not being fully equipped to transition to telehealth. At the same time, they wonder if their agencies can survive under the prospect of a reduced workforce. “People are trying to figure out how to extend agencies' ability to serve until more information is coming,” Tuohy says."
Cross-Sector Group of Eighty-eight Organizations Calls on Congress to Address Americans' Mental Health and Substance Misuse Treatment Needs as Part of COVID-19 Response, by Trust for America's Health, Cision PR Newswire, March 20, 2020 (PDF Version)
NAADAC, along with 87 other behavioral health organizations, signed onto a letter sent to Vice President Pence and House and Senate leadership urging for immediate action to address the mental health and substance misuse needs of Americans during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Counselors Seek Balance in Discussing MAT with Patients, by Gary A. Enos, Addiction Professional, the Official News Source of NCAD, January 30, 2020 (PDF Version)
NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, NAADAC President Diane Sevening, and NAADAC Ethics Committee Chair Mita Johnson discuss the role of MAT in recovery treatment.
“Vulnerable Populations” Symposium Highlights Mental Health Treatment in Nevada, by David Marlon, LADC, President of SNAAP, September 24, 2019. (PDF Version)
“The Las Vegas community is no stranger to mental illness, addiction, homelessness, and lack of resources,” said David Marlon, LADC, President of SNAAP. “It continues to amaze me the number of individuals in the community who are committed to increasing resources, access to treatment, and helping the vulnerable populations of Nevada. We have a lot of work ahead of us but we have a solid base for change.”
RC2C Interview With Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, by RC2C producer/host Neil Scott, September 6, 2019.
NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP, was interviewed on the Recovery - Coast to Coast radio show by producer/host Neil Scott during the 45th Annual Texas Association of Addiction Professionals State Conference. In this exciting segment, Scott and Moreno Touhy discussed the state of NAADAC, the state of the addiction profession, and ongoing and upcoming NAADAC programs and events.
Wexton’s Bipartisan EFFORT Act to Expand Research on Opioid Addiction Passes the House, by Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton’s (D-VA 10th District) Media Team, July 23, 2019. (PDF Version)
"Today, the House of Representatives passed Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton’s (D-VA) bipartisan Expanding Findings for Federal Opioid Research and Treatment (EFFORT) Act, which directs the National Science Foundation (NSF) to support research on opioid addiction. Wexton introduced the bill alongside Republican Congressman Jim Baird (R-IN) in June....The EFFORT Act is supported by the Center on Addiction, the American Association of Nurse Anesthetists, the American Psychological Association, NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals, the American Society of Addiction Medicine, and the Shenandoah Valley Substance Abuse Coalition."
Led by Microsoft vets and Intelius co-founder, Clocktree rolls out telehealth platform for healthcare counseling, by James Thorne, GeekWire, March 22, 2019. (PDF Version)
"Seattle-area startup Clocktree offers a service for patients to find and receive therapy from mental health, relationship, addiction and nutrition counselors. Providers can connect through video and messaging with their patients, and the platform also gives counselors a HIPAA-compliant place to store notes, videos and documents...Clocktree this week announced a partnership with the addiction counselor organization NAADAC, whose members can use the service for free up to 10 hours per month."
Warren, Cummings, and More than 95 Colleagues in Senate and House Reintroduce Comprehensive CARE Act to Combat the Opioid and Substance Use Epidemic, by Senator Elizabeth Warren's Media Team, May 8, 2019. (PDF Version)
“We must commit to building an addiction workforce capable of responding to the clear demand in our communities for expanded prevention, treatment, and recovery services due to the ever increasing rise of addictive disorders. As the national professional association representing the interests of addiction counselors, educators, and addiction-focused health professionals, NAADAC proudly supports the CARE Act and its bold commitment to addressing substance use disorders for the individuals, families and communities that are so severely affected,” said Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, BSW, NCAC II, CDC III, SAP; Executive Director NAADAC, the Association for Addiction Professionals.
Cynthia Moreno-Tuohy, NAADAC Executive Director, conducted a 5-day training last week on counseling skills and theories to build the capacity of local counselors and prepare them for addiction counseling certification, Samoa News, September 20, 2018. (PDF Version)
“Seen here are local substance abuse counselors of DHSS, CSS, EPIC, PYCD, their trainer, Cynthia Moreno-Tuohy of the Association of Addiction Professionals (NAADAC), and DHSS Director Muavaefaatasi John Suisala.
Can Medicine Help With Alcohol Dependence?, by Sonya Collins, WebMD, July 19, 2018. (PDF Version)
NAADAC's President, Gerard Schmidt, talks about the use of medication to treat alcohol use disorder.
Upcoming Events: New Mexico Youth Workforce Forum, by the City of Albuquerque, April 08, 2018. (PDF Version)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) New Mexico Youth Workforce Forum, being promoted on a municipality website.
Collaborative forum on mental health & substance use, by the University of New Mexico Department of Psychiatric & Behavioral Science, April 02, 2018. (PDF Version)
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC) New Mexico Youth Workforce Forum, being promoted on event partner newsletter.
Rehab Riviera: California testing Vermont’s model to fight addiction, by Teri Sforza, The Orange County Register, December 29, 2017. (PDF Version)
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, NAADAC's Executive Director, discusses medication-assisted treatment's role in long-term recovery.
How a Multimillion-Dollar Empire Built Around Urine Drug Tests Exposes Flaws in California’s Rehab Laws, by Tony Saavedra and Scott Schwebkeuoting, The Orange County Register, December 17, 2017. (PDF Version)
Kansas Cafferty, LMFT, MCA, CATC, an NCC AP Commissioner, talks about the "wild, wild west" nature of Californian rehab facilities as the OCR investigates fraud and lack of standards in the industry.
Are implants for opioid addicts a new hope or a new scam?, by Teri Sforza, The Orange County Register, October 22, 2017. (PDF Version)
Cynthia Moreno Tuohy, NAADAC's Executive Director, weighs in on the efficacy of implants and medication-assisted treatment.
David Marlon Elected President of State of Nevada Association of Addiction Professionals, by Jessica Kantor, Solutions Recovery, September 27, 2017. (PDF Version)
David Marlon, M.S., MBA, addictionologist, was elected president of the State of Nevada Association of Addiction Professionals (SNAAP). Marlon, CEO of Solutions Recovery Treatment Center and Resolutions of Las Vegas, was nominated and voted into the yearlong position unanimously by the SNAAP board.
CBS News Radio Spoke with NAADAC President Gerard Schmidt at the NAADAC 2017 Annual Conference (Part 1 and Part 2), Interview by Stephan Kauffman,CBS News Radio, September 25, 2017.
NAADAC President Gerard Schmidt discussed the opioid crisis, the prevalence of alcohol use disorder, and more with CBS News Radio's Stephan Kauffman.
Forum Underlines Need for Addiction Treatment Professionals, by Taylor Stuck, The Herald Dispatch, April 26, 2017. (PDF Version)
Marshall University on Tuesday joined forces with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), the Association for Addiction Professionals and the West Virginia Bureau for Behavioral Health and Health Facilities in the Department of Health and Human Resources to host a collegiate Workforce Forum to encourage college students to enter into the addiction and mental health workforce.
Press Coverage of the West Virginia Workforce Forum, WZAZ, April 26, 2017.
Local news coverage bu WZAZ of the West Virginia Workforce Forum. Includes a short interview with NAADAC Executive Director Cynthia Moreno Tuohy NCAC II, CDC III, SAP.
DHHS Host Behavioral Health Conference, Channel 8, April 14, 2017.
Local news coverage of a joint NAADAC and Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Workforce Forum held in Huntington, Virginia. The forum focused on the rewarding benefits of working in the substance use and mental health disorder disciplines and taught students about West Virginia's workforce needs, state certification and licensing requirements, national certification opportunities, networking and other professional development opportunities.
New Report Aims to Change Public Perception of Addiction, by Sarah Schroeder, The Texas Tribune, December 19, 2016. (PDF Version)
Earlier this month, the surgeon general released a report on the state of alcohol, drugs, and health in the U.S. “Facing Addiction in America” is the first report of its kind, and one of its primary objectives is to change public perception of addiction. As Surgeon General Vivek H. Murthy wrote, "For far too long, too many in our country have viewed addiction as a moral failing. This unfortunate stigma has created an added burden of shame that has made people with substance use disorders less likely to come forward and seek help.
Public Health Officials In Wisconsin Struggle With Gaps In Substance Abuse Data, by Scott Gordon, WisContext, November 2, 2016. (PDF Version)
People across Wisconsin and the country are collecting a lot of information about substance abuse. Coroners and medical examiners document overdose deaths, hospitals and treatment centers admit patients with substance-abuse issues, police file reports on drug-related incidents. Many public high schools anonymously survey students about drug and alcohol use. Data is plentiful. The difficult part is pulling together all that information, analyzing it, and identifying the patterns. "When the data are analyzed and published, it's a year and a half or two years out," said Theodore Cicero, a professor of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis. "You can say, 'we have a problem, but it's been with us a couple of years.'"
Trump unveils law-and-order strategy to counter drug addiction, by Steven Ross Johnson, Modern Healthcare, October 18, 2016. (PDF Version)
Public health experts say Donald Trump's plan to curb opioid addiction sounds like a throwback to the war on drugs that some say resulted in mass incarceration instead of treatment. The Republican presidential nominee unveiled several initiatives during a speech in New Hampshire, which has been hit hard by the opioid epidemic. Among the ideas is increasing mandatory minimum prison sentences for serious drug offenders. Trump's running mate, Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, has instituted similar policies in his state. Experts say the idea has not worked there and instead has disproportionately incarcerated minorities.
To get this job, a former life as an addict is required, by Liz Kowalczyk, Boston Globe, October 11, 2016. (PDF version)
She was in her early 20s, homeless and in heroin’s grip, when Nicole Bourgeois moved in underneath the Longfellow Bridge, with a view of Massachusetts General Hospital. For a few months, she slept on a mattress hidden on grates below the subway stop there. When she was hungry or cold, she took food from the Mass. General cafeteria or warm blankets from the emergency room. She lifted Vera Bradley bags in the gift shop to sell later.
Heroin, much discussed in state races, now on back burner in national politics, by Paul Singer, USA TODAY, September 15, 2016. (PDF version)
Across the nation, while public concern about heroin addiction is the highest it has been in years, the same can’t be said about attention on the national political stage. Searches about "heroin" peaked last week for the third time this year at the highest level in the past five years, according to data from Google Trends, with the exception of a spike in interest in February 2014 when actor Philip Seymour Hoffman died of a heroin overdose. Drug overdoses from heroin tripled between 2010 and 2014, and more people died from drug overdoses than car crashes in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The cost of fighting over whether to use drugs to treat addiction, by Steven Ross Johnson, Modern Healthcare, April 21, 2016. (PDF Version)
A rift among addiction-medicine providers about the role of medication-assisted recovery treatment may be hampering efforts to address the growing epidemic of addiction to heroin and prescription opioid painkillers. Many experts see the use of naloxone and other medications as the most effective way to mitigate the health risks and address the social stigma of drug addiction. But substance abuse treatment has traditionally been the realm of non-medical professionals whose expertise is often drawn from their own experiences with addiction.
The online program that may revolutionize addiction treatment, by Aaron Sankin, The Kernel, January 31, 2016. (PDF Version)
Welcoming her son home from rehab was the happiest day of Rose Barbour’s life—until it wasn’t. John, a pseudonym used to protect his privacy, was addicted to opiates. The 18-year-old had checked into a seven-day stint at a rehab center near his home on Prince Edward Island, a large rural community off Canada’s east coast. He relapsed in two days. “We didn’t know anything about addiction,” Barbour recalled. “We thought… just like with any other illness, he’ll get the best help out there and get better.”
Recovery Burnout, by Jeanene Swanson, The Fix, March 8, 2015. (PDF Version)
If you’ve worked as a caretaker—a doctor, nurse, or substance abuse counselor, to name a few—you might know about compassion fatigue, or, in common parlance, burnout. “People end up taking home the work that they do,” Dr. Kirk Bowden, president of NAADAC, also known as the Association for Addiction Professionals, says. Internalizing sometimes “serious and heartbreaking” things can lead to a lack of self-care, which he says can manifest itself in physical illness, insomnia, and signs of anxiety and depression.