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By Dennis Moore
September 5, 2012 (San Diego)--A NEW PATH, or PATH (Parents for Addiction Treatment & Healing), is a voluntary, non-profit group of concerned parents of individuals suffering from addiction. They partner with health care professionals, the criminal justice system, recovering addicts and concerned members of society to seek better understanding of the illness and to create "therapeutic justice" for substance abuse related crimes. PATH's goals are to reduce recidivism, save lives, heal families and move toward a healthier society.
On September 8, PATH invites you to the organization's annual “Strut for Sobriety” fashion show celebrating recovery from addiction. The event, held at the Sheraton San Diego Hotel & Marina, will also feature a luncheon, awards, silent auction, live entertainment and boutique.( For full details, see http://www.anewpathsite.org/newevents1.html.)
A New PATH is proud to announce the 2012 Path to Recovery Honorees, who are being recognized for their efforts in reducing the stigma associated with addictive illness: Denise and Gary Cullen, Founders of Broken-No-More and National Directors of GRASP (Grief Recovery After Substance Passing); Kathi Lencioni, Senior Vice President & CEP, Sharp Mesa Vista Hospital & Sharp McDonald Center; Virginia Napierskie, philanthropist; and Neill Franklin, Executive Director LEAP (Law Enforcement Against Prohibition)
This unique event, co-chaired by Jenifer Burrows and Colleen Ruis Jackson, will feature a silent auction and boutique at 10:00am, followed by a luncheon, awards ceremony, entertainment and fashion show. Chuck Negron, formerly lead singer of 3 Dog Night, will serve as Celebrity Chair.
Geni Cavitt and Rory Devine (7/39 News) will serve as event emcees, and Little Tommy Sablan and Laura Cain will serve as auctioneers. An entertaining fashion show, produced by Gretchen Productions and featuring fashions from Macy’s Horton Plaza will showcase fashions worn by professional models as well as guest models in recovery.
PATH actually grew out of a series of pre-Substance Abuse Summit meetings with parents, Superior Court Judges and officers of the criminal justice system in the Spring of 1999. In 2000, PATH was instrumental in passing Proposition 36 in California, mandating treatment instead of incarceration for non-violent drug offenders. Founding members are Spring Valley resident Gretchen Burns Bergman, along with Sylvia Liwerant and Tom O'Donnell.
While President of the Bethel A.M.E. Prison Ministry, I was honored to participate with A New Path in a forum called "Prisoner Release 101" several years ago, along with San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore.
PATH strives to be a constant voice in the criminal justice system speaking for human rights. Current advocacy projects include the promotion of legislation for greater treatment availability, reducing the risks of inherent health problems associated with drug abuse, bringing more residential beds to the community as well as behind bars, and mobilizing people in recovery to advocate for an educated, compassionate and therapeutic approach to dealing with substance abuse.
Path realizes that the human voice is powerful, so they print and distribute "Faces of Recovery" calendars highlighting individuals' stories of addiction and recovery. “Strut for Sobriety” began in 2005. Other projects include art exhibits and books of poetry highlighting inspirational stories of addiction and recovery.
PATH feels that it is vital to collaborate with all of the major stakeholders, including: the recovery community, community leaders, the criminal justice system, healthcare professionals, and family members. PATH's Executive Director has served on a Medical Society Commission, and PATH members sit on such boards as San Diego Mental Health Association, NAMI (Anita Fisher). The Co-Founders and President of the Board of Directors speak at seminars regularly with addiction medicine physicians and psychiatrists to present both the humanistic and scientific argument for therapeutic, rather than punitive approaches to society's problem of substance abuse and addiction.
PATH is a member of several task forces regarding substance abuse, mental health, and therapeutic justice. PATH continues to partner with and advise various treatment providers such as Stepping Stone, CRASH, Bay Recovery, Sharp Mesa Vista, and SD County Probation. PATH was also a lead agency for the nation-wide Demand Treatment campaign to create more treatment services, and is a member of the national Faces and Voices of Recovery advocacy campaign. They also connect with other parent groups in other communities for broader impact through collaborative campaigns. In 2010 PATH started the statewide campaign, "Moms United to End the War on Drugs" which broadened to a nationwide campaign in 2011 (www.momsunited.net).
In addition to their other activities, PATH reaches out to individuals and families who are suffering as a result of this illness with a resource guide of available services and by offering a parent survival kit of information. Their office receives countless phone calls and emails for resource information and support. Through their programs PATH touches lives personally as well as striving to create changes in public policy that will benefit our communities and society in general.
PATH has a strong Board of Directors and an Advisory Board of experts in the medical, legal and healthcare fields. In 2011 they created a new chapter of PATH in Los Angeles. PATH receives funding from membership, corporate and individual sponsors, fundraisers and grants. They have received major grant support from The California Endowment, Drug Policy Alliance, Alliance Healthcare Foundation, as well as other smaller grants. They have approximately 350 paying members at this time, and a mailing list of 3700 to which they send fliers and quarterly newsletters. Their website is www.anewpath.org.
Dennis Moore is the former President of the Bethel A.M.E. Prison Ministry in San Diego. He is also the book review editor for SDWriteway, an online newsletter for writers in San Diego. He is the author of a book about Chicago politics; "The City That Works: Power, Politics and Corruption in Chicago. Mr. Moore can be contacted at comtractsagency@gmail.com or you can follow him on Twitter at: @DennisMoore8.
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