BUILDING BRIDGES TO RECOVERY
Bringing Hope and Real-life Solutions to the Justice System
With all of the focus on the disease of addiction and the lives lost to overdoses, we have lost sight of the fact that there are solutions to this epidemic. The challenge today is to pay as much attention to the solutions as we do to the problems.
The good news is that the concept of recovery has emerged from the shadows as well and has created a paradigm shift in the field.
The reality is that approximately 23 million Americans have resolved a significant drug and/or alcohol problem. The majority of people with substance use disorders can and do recover. Not only do people recover, but studies also confirm that they achieve an improved quality of life.
Recovery has come to mean more than a return to “normal” and it actually includes transcending to a state that can be characterized as ‘better than well’.
From arrest to re-entry, there are multiple opportunities to address addiction, reduce recidivism and turn lives around.
Building Bridges to Recovery Services
KEYNOTE PRESENTATIONS AND TRAINING WORKSHOPS ON A WIDE VARIETY OF CRITICAL TOPICS
LOVE, HOPE, AND RANDOM DRUG TESTING:
Using the leverage of the justice system to promote recovery and reduce recidivism.
While some argue that we can’t arrest our way out of this epidemic, we know that given the crime and public safety concerns generated by compulsive addictive behaviors, the justice system will play a role in responding to this epidemic. And research has confirmed that it can actually play a transformative role in helping to alleviate this crisis.
This presentation will provide an overview on the latest research surrounding addiction and recovery, along with real-life examples of innovative programs that are being implemented across the justice continuum nationwide. Participants will gain a greater understanding of the importance of holding offenders accountable while also encouraging positive change. The session will conclude with specific strategies that achieve this balance.
"WORK HARD, PLAY HARD"
My Story of Addiction and Recovery
Work hard. Play Hard. These words often describe the life of a prosecutor. It is one of the most the important, exciting, and rewarding professions, yet it is also one of the most stressful. And unfortunately the way we deal with that stress has been problematic for some of us in the field.
The 2016 landmark study conducted by the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation and the American Bar Association Commission on Lawyer Assistance Programs reveals substantial and widespread levels of problem drinking and other behavioral health problems in the U.S. legal profession.
Published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, the study reports that 21 percent of licensed, employed attorneys qualify as problem drinkers, 28 percent struggle with some level of depression and 19 percent demonstrate symptoms of anxiety. The study found that younger attorneys in the first 10 years of practice exhibit the highest incidence of these problems.
The findings of the national study, the most comprehensive ever, represent a reversal of previous research that indicated rates of problem drinking increased as individuals spent more time in the legal profession. When focusing solely on the volume and frequency of alcohol consumed, the study found that more than 1 in 3 practicing attorneys are problem drinkers.
"BETTER THAN WELL"
The Reality of Recovery
The most recent CDC report confirms that the US remains in the midst of the worst addiction crisis of our history, With all of the focus on the disease of addiction and the lives lost to overdoses, we have lost sight of the fact that there are solutions to this epidemic. The challenge today is to pay as much attention to the solutions as we do to the problem.
We also know more about recovery than we ever have before. While there is no cure for addiction, the prognosis for this disorder is actually good. Like other diseases, addiction is preventable, and the earlier the intervention the better the outcome. Terms such as “recovery capital” and “recovery-oriented systems of care” have emerged to explain the internal and external changes that initiate and sustain long-term recovery.
The reality is that approximately 23 million Americans have resolved a significant drug and/or alcohol problem. The majority of people with substance use disorders can and do recover. Not only do people recover, but they also achieve an improved quality of life. Recovery has come to mean more than a return to “normal” and it actually includes transcending to a state that can be characterized as ‘better than well’.
Susan Broderick, Founder and CEO
As a respected professional in criminal and juvenile justice issues and a woman in long-term recovery, Susan speaks from her own experience to help others in and out of the justice systems. She has devoted her entire professional career to working to improve the lives of those impacted by the justice system.
Starting in the Manhattan DA's Office in 1989, Susan served as a prosecutor for 14 years working on family violence, sex crimes and homicide cases in New York City. She has also worked on national criminal and juvenile justice projects and spent the last 10 years at Georgetown University as an Associate Research Professor.
Throughout her career, she has trained prosecutors, judges and front-line professionals across the country on a variety of topics. She has done extensive work on improving prevention practices, implementing diversion programs and has also worked on numerous projects to improve drug treatment court policies. Susan has spoken and written extensively on the opportunities to advance recovery throughout the system.
Susan has been on the front lines, in the courtroom, and in the ivory tower. Perhaps most importantly, she has been sober since July 15, 2001. She has a unique and pragmatic perspective on how to address the addiction problems and bring real-life solutions to communities across the country.
REVIEWS
Word on the Street
Susan was excellent. The best substance abuse speaker that we have ever had at this conference.
NC Conference of District Attorneys
What a brave woman to come and tell her story in front of all these strangers. She was just an awesome presenter.
NADCP Conference
Very raw and inspiring. Well done. She was excellent. I appreciated her vulnerability and honesty.
National Association of Drug Court Professionals Conference
Susan was a fabulous presenter. The session provided hope for professionals who may need help toward recovery. Her story was very motivating and encouraging. Thank you.
Maryland Recovery Breakfast
What a great motivational speaker. Excellent presentation – it was informative and inspiring. I was touched by Susan’s ability to open her heart.
NYPTI Training
This session was brilliant! Susan has such a way of humanizing the issue of addiction. Her story of recovery provides such inspiration and she is very engaging and funny.
National Drug Court Conference
