What can we learn from America?

Wednesday, 21 May 2008

Interesting to see Kathy Gyngell calling for us to look at the American system in helping people overcome substance use problems, following a visit to the States. Her Blog is well worth a read.

Kathy described the point made by one professional: “the recovery movement here is huge; we do not seem to make as big a deal about ‘abstinence’ versus ‘harm reduction’ as it seems the Europeans do.” She also described a programme that, ‘has significant freedom to decide its own methods and programmes. A far cry from the UK’s state directed hegemony.’

As I have pointed out in my DDN Briefings, the Americans are years ahead of us. We need to be following the example of their Recovery Movement. So few people in this country understand the concept of recovery, know the Faces & Voices of Recovery movement and website, or have heard of William L White (a new member of our Advisory Board) and his seminal work.

This needs to change – urgently. We need to stop protecting the inadequate system we have and start looking outward and forward. Keeping the good things that we have and accepting the achievements we have made.
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