Author: billstaufferpa

William Stauffer has been the Executive Director of Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliance (PRO-A), the statewide recovery organization of Pennsylvania. He is in long-term recovery since age 21 and has been actively engaged in public policy in the recovery arena for most of those years. He is also an adjunct professor of Social Work at Misericordia University in Dallas Pennsylvania. He holds a Bachelors in Social work degree from Cedar Crest College and a Masters Degree from Kutztown University. William Stauffer has initiated numerous workforce expansion initiatives for persons in recovery. A major focus of his work has been aimed at moving our entire SUD care system towards a five-year care paradigm to dramatically expand the numbers of Americans in Recovery while saving lives, resources, and communities. Mr. Stauffer has been a staunch advocate for strong SUD Patient Privacy Protections at both the state and federal levels for many years. He ran a recovery house taskforce for the Pennsylvania that helped inform PA Act 59 of 2017. In 2018, he testified in front of the US Senate Special Committee on Aging on the opioid epidemic and older adults, and in 2019, he conducted a hearing with the PA House Human Services Committee to expand recovery opportunities for young people. He is co-chair of the public policy committee for Faces & Voices of Recovery and the 2019 recipient of the Vernon Johnson Award Individual Recovery Advocate of the year. Mr. Stauffer was also the 2002 Recipient of the Lecie G. Machell prize in Social Work and, prior to taking the position of executive director of PRO-A , received Pennsylvania Recovery Organization Alliances award of the Recovery Advocate of the year, in 2008.

Attempting to Strengthen Recovery Capital Against a Tide of Disenfranchisement

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My organization, PRO-A recently joined 36 other state and regional recovery community organizations across America and sent this letter to Congress to educate them on the woefully inadequate funding for grassroots recovery community organizations. Disparate funding is the norm even as Billions of supplemental dollars flow out to the states. Even when these allocations specifically … Continue reading Attempting to Strengthen Recovery Capital Against a Tide of Disenfranchisement

Reflections on the historic 2001 Recovery Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the start of the New Recovery Advocacy Movement Article One – The Thoughts of Recovery Historian Bill White

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Background: History is incredibly important to how we understand ourselves, where we came from, where we stand now and to assist us in determining our pathways forward. Few things are more important to me than understanding the New Recovery Advocacy Movement and to support efforts to move us towards an expanded recovery community across America.  … Continue reading Reflections on the historic 2001 Recovery Summit in St. Paul, Minnesota, and the start of the New Recovery Advocacy Movement Article One – The Thoughts of Recovery Historian Bill White

The Piper Must be Paid, Sooner or Later

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America has been using more substance during the COVID-19 pandemic, a result of increased stress and isolation. We are starting to glimpse the repercussions of these dynamics. There is early evidence of the consequences of heavier use across our society. The Los Angeles Times recently reported that hospitals affiliated with the University of Michigan, Northwestern … Continue reading The Piper Must be Paid, Sooner or Later

We All Want to Flourish, Those Served in Substance Use Care Deserve Nothing Less

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A few weeks back, fellow writer and colleague Jason Schwartz posted a piece titled Meaning and purpose in the context of opioid overdose deaths. It and the related article of the same title written by outgoing Editor in Chief, Dr. Eric Strain of Drug and Alcohol Dependence deeply resonated with me. Dr Strain lists some … Continue reading We All Want to Flourish, Those Served in Substance Use Care Deserve Nothing Less

Pushing the Gear Shift of Conduct Back from Neutral to Good

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The recovery connection to this post may be a bit tangential, but I do see the processes of critical thinking, self-evaluation and a stance of empathy towards others as vital to the recovery process. As a person who has lived in addiction and experienced conducting myself in ways that were far out of my value … Continue reading Pushing the Gear Shift of Conduct Back from Neutral to Good