Episode 25 - Recovery at the Local and State Policy LevelEpisode 25 - Recovery at the Local and State Policy Level
Tapping Into The Human - A Podcast On Addiction, Recovery and Mental Health
Brendan Little discusses shaping local policies for addiction recovery with Alex Colyer.
30:05•21 Apr 2022
Brendan Little: Crafting Recovery Policies for a Better Tomorrow
“At the end of the day, one of the things that I was blessed with was I was able to go to a really good middle school that was really small and targeted as a Jesuit middle school for poor kids in the city of Boston. So, even though I had this really troubled adolescence, I had this, this really caring community that that was, that taught me about service to others, that taught me about the value of education, that taught me about the value of diversity and that, I think, really instilled some really you know, some, some- something in me that kind of when I was, you know, and the other, the other thing, was that I saw a lot of people die.”
Ever wondered how local policies can shape the landscape of addiction recovery? In this episode, Alex Colyer chats with Brendan Little, the First Policy Director at Boston Mayor's Office of Recovery Services. Brendan shares his unique journey from being in the custody of social services as a teenager to spearheading impactful recovery initiatives. His story is a testament to resilience and the power of empathy.
Brendan discusses how Massachusetts plans to utilize funds from lawsuits against opioid manufacturers to bolster recovery services. He also delves into the importance of harm reduction, which he describes as 'radical empathy'—meeting people where they are. The episode highlights the creation of an engagement center aimed at making recovery resources more accessible to everyone, regardless of their background. Brendan also touches on the challenges posed by COVID-19 and the essential role of education and diversity in recovery efforts.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in understanding how local and state policies can make a real difference in the lives of those battling addiction and mental health issues.
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