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.

Can We Please Stop Saying Recovery is Possible?

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Imagine this scenario. You get the terrible diagnoses of cancer, like addiction, it is terminal if left on its dreadful course unimpeded. You are in the depths of despair, facing everything this terrible diagnosis means for your life. The treating professional turns to you and says “recovery is possible. It is POSSIBLE you might survive … Continue reading Can We Please Stop Saying Recovery is Possible?

REFLECTIONS ON RECOVERY REPRESENTATION (BILL WHITE AND BILL STAUFFER)

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Since its inception in the late 1990s, a central goal of the new recovery advocacy movement has been assuring the representation of recovering individuals and families in the decision-making venues that affect their lives. As this movement matured, the complexities of achieving such representation became increasingly apparent. Dynamics within and beyond communities of recovery can … Continue reading REFLECTIONS ON RECOVERY REPRESENTATION (BILL WHITE AND BILL STAUFFER)

A Cautionary Tale of Out of Town Experts, White Elephants and Erosion of Authentic Communities

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It is an age-old story, out of area well-meaning experts descend on a community bearing big ideas, big money and big projects to improve things for the natives. They build a road, dam, or a well or a school and fundamentally change the dynamics of things that were working in those communities before their arrival. … Continue reading A Cautionary Tale of Out of Town Experts, White Elephants and Erosion of Authentic Communities

Supporting Long term Recovery and the Tragedy of the Commons

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Strengthening and supporting long term recovery for diverse communities across multiple pathways of recovery is a goal that would reap huge benefits for our entire society. As I have written about before, the single most important focus of substance use treatment and recovery policy in the United States should be on getting as many people … Continue reading Supporting Long term Recovery and the Tragedy of the Commons

The Road Ahead: Marginalization or Inclusion of the Faces and Voices of Recovery?

~ billstaufferpa

"What is past is prologue" as William Shakespeare once said. While this does not mean that history is fated to repeat itself, it does point to the tendency for patterns to echo. Understanding those patterns can help us understand the present and potential risks we face currently. Readers interested in learning about our history, the … Continue reading The Road Ahead: Marginalization or Inclusion of the Faces and Voices of Recovery?

Recovery Movement Ahead: Embracing Kindred Groups While Retaining Focus on Our Common Purpose

~ billstaufferpa

Have been listening and reflecting as of late on where the recovery movement has come from and where we are headed next. We have faced and endured many challenges, both internal and external to the movement. We have done so by remaining focused on our common purpose. Basic tenants of recovery such as tolerance, humility … Continue reading Recovery Movement Ahead: Embracing Kindred Groups While Retaining Focus on Our Common Purpose

On Improving Recovery Engagement In the Context of Increased Social Isolation and Loneliness

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I recently attended  a webinar on loneliness and the COVID-19 Pandemic by the Coalition to End Social Isolation and Loneliness. The physical health and mortality facets of social isolation are jaw dropping. We need to focus more of our resources on recognition of social isolation as a health determinant in respect to substance use conditions … Continue reading On Improving Recovery Engagement In the Context of Increased Social Isolation and Loneliness

WE NEED MORE RECOVERY CUSTODIANS AND FEWER RECOVERY ROCK STARS (BILL STAUFFER AND BILL WHITE)

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Definition of Custodian – a person who has responsibility for or looks after something. We are in a critical stage of the recovery movement in America, and we need to think carefully on what direction we go as a community and what we do to ensure that we expand recovery opportunities for the next generation. … Continue reading WE NEED MORE RECOVERY CUSTODIANS AND FEWER RECOVERY ROCK STARS (BILL STAUFFER AND BILL WHITE)