The WRA works proactively to improve public understanding and reduce societal prejudice associated with mental health conditions and substance use disorders. We do this through:
- News outlets: Working with news media outlets to promote recovery stories and the use of pro-recovery language in behavioral health reporting
- Media engagement trainings: Equipping individuals in recovery from behavioral health disorders, impacted family members, and behavioral health professionals with tools to engage with media outlets
- Events: Hosting community events that celebrate and put a public face on recovery
- Social media campaigns: Harnessing the power of social media to spread the message that recovery is not only possible, but expected, when people are met with appropriate resources. Our most recent campaign is #GiftsOfRecovery, promoted during December 2017.
- Speaker’s bureau: Training a cadre of individuals in recovery from substance use disorder and mental health conditions to tell their recovery narratives
- Promotional tools: Using items such as T-shirts to spread recovery messages. In the fall of 2017, we held a recovery t-shirt design contest. The winning design was by Paulette Chaussee and reads: “Worth Saving: Recovery Happens.”