Always Working Towards

Advancing Recovery Environments

 (AWARE)

A project of the

California Association of Alcohol and Drug Program Executives, Inc.

(CAADPE) 

AWARE is a statewide self-advocacy program that involves those in treatment and recovery, their family members and significant others. Through AWARE, individuals have the opportunity to share their personal and collective experiences of AOD treatment and recovery with policy makers and the community at large. AWARE offers a range of strategies to distribute, collect and analyze information that is important to the recovery community. Self-advocacy activities are available to multiple treatment agencies and individuals in the recovery community throughout the state of California.

Prevention and treatment works, saves lives, and costs less:  

millions of people and their families are in recovery from addiction and leading productive lives. 7 dollars is saved in medical and social costs for every dollar invested in treatment.

For every dollar spent on alcohol and drug Prevention, communities  can save $4 to $5 in future costs for treatment and counseling.

AWARE provides ...

1.      recovery Community Support staff assistance in organizing legislative visits to your treatment center.

2.      individuals in recovery with the opportunity to provide input to policy makers and legislators about alcohol and other drugs through personal accounts and statistical evidence on the importance of recovery.

3.      individuals in recovery an opportunity to educate the public about the recovery community and a chance to provide positive accurate accounts of recovery and treatment.

4.      a chance to attend an Annual Self Advocacy Conference in Northern and Southern California meet with others in recovery, policy makers and legislatures.  

5.      an opportunity to give back to your local community, by providing a voice for the recovery community, and in turn, strengthening the community!!

Benefits of AWARE membership include: 

  access to policy makers and the community at large to provide input on alcohol and other drug related issues through surveys,  personal testimony, and focus groups.

  participation in Annual Self-Advocacy Conferences.

  Community Advocacy Training

  the opportunity to be part of the greater recovering community!

  AWARE Handbook