Recovery Voices Count: Why Your Vote Matters

Recovery Voices Count: Why Your Vote Matters

Your Voice, Your Vote

As people with a vested interest in de-stigmatizing addiction and normalizing recovery, it is our collective job as voters to help political candidates understand what’s at stake. 

What We Do

We ensure people in recovery are heard in elections. Voting for candidates that are recovery-savvy and understand best practices supports our community in ways we can see and feel in our everyday lives.

Why It Matters

Voting is a way for us to choose leaders who care about our community and share our vision of de-stigmatizing addiction and normalizing recovery.

How You Can Help

  1. Register to Vote: Sign up online or at local government offices.
  2. Learn About Candidates: Find candidates who support recovery programs.
  3. Spread the Word: Encourage friends and family to vote.
  4. Volunteer: Help with campaigns or join groups supporting recovery-friendly candidates.

Historical Context

Voting has led to key policy changes, criminal justice reforms, and community support:

  • Policy Changes: The SUPPORT Act of 2018 expanded access to addiction treatment​ (Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle)​.
  • Criminal Justice Reform: Oregon’s Measure 110 in 2020 decriminalized small drug possessions, funding addiction treatment​ (Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle)​.
  • Community Support: Increased funding for SAMHSA since 2010 expanded recovery services and support.

Recent Statistics

  • Treatment Access: Substance use treatment increased by nearly 25% from 2009 to 2019.
  • Opioid Crisis: Opioid overdose deaths dropped by 5% from 2017 to 2018. They crept up again in recent years with the widespread rises of fentanyl and Xylazine, but 2023 saw its first decrease in 5 years, down 3% from 2022. (It was still 107,543 overdoses too many.)
  • Employment and Recovery: WIOA-supported programs increased employment rates among individuals in recovery by 15% since 2014.

Proposed Funding Cuts

Congress oversees funding for government programs, influencing key initiatives in American public health. Reducing overdose deaths and improving outcomes for people touched by addiction should remain high on the bipartisan priority list.

But recently, the House proposed cutting critical funding for overdose prevention and harm reduction:

  • Eliminating Programs: The House seeks to cut the Injury Prevention Center, Overdose Center, and other key programs.
  • Harm Reduction: The House’s stance threatens syringe exchange programs, fentanyl test strip programs, and rape and suicide prevention programs.

Backed by 16 other organizations, Faces & Voices of Recovery officially opposed these cuts and called for reconsideration. We hope the appropriations committee will take note and pivot accordingly.

Ensuring representatives that support recovery and its many paths are elected to office is one way to safeguard life-saving measures like these.

Our Goals

  • Increase Voter Registration: More people in recovery need to register to vote.
  • Educate Voters: Understand how voting impacts recovery issues.
  • Advocate for Recovery: Support laws and policies benefiting the recovery community.

Get Involved

Join us in making a difference by using our toolkit (link to be dropped soon).

When we vote, we make recovery voices count.

Remember: together we can do what we cannot do alone.

Sources: