Advocates in recovery make addiction services a voting issue

The Power of the Ballot –

August 11, 2020 – The group began its work in earnest in 2018, working closely with Recovery PAC, which has reported over $200,000 in in-kind contributions for things such as media promotions and staffing and executive expenses from the group in the past two years. While Ryan Hampton, the group’s organizing director, says the group isn’t directly associated with any recovery centers in the state, the team is made up of individuals affected by addiction and mental health recovery.

“It’s really cool to be in recovery and be able to help mold the way Nevadans live with certain bills or issues that might be able to help somebody down the road,” said Phoenix Cutler, an organizer based out of Reno. “One of the big things I’m a huge advocate for is pay it forward.”

The organization is based out of Las Vegas, but has a network of organizers statewide, the majority of whom have life experience with addiction and are themselves in long-term recovery.

“People from the north, people from the south, it’s a very diverse group,” Hampton said. “It’s also bipartisan, made up of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.”

In addition to the poll, the group has been working to bring attention to recovery issues in the state, including hosting a series of town halls which included multiple legislators discussing how COVID-19 has affected addiction and mental health recovery as rates of overdoses and alcohol sales rise and providers seek to address the growing issue. For the last several weeks, the organization has been interviewing candidates for state office regarding their positions on addiction and mental health recovery in the hopes of releasing official endorsements prior to the general election in November.