Moving Beyond Stigma
- 1. Moving Beyond Stigma A public forum focusing on the personal, social and institutional stigma of substance use disorder and mental illness. Tuesday, May 23, 2017 Back Bay Events Center, Boston #MovingBeyondStigma @WilliamJamesEdu
- 2. Background • “Thinking Outside the Box” Forum: April, 2016 • Novel interventions for opioid use disorder • 3 Massachusetts work groups • Pharmacy brochure for opioid medication • Roundtable discussion, medication treatment for opioid use disorder • Workforce development • Core message from all 3 groups: Stigma is major barrier to care
- 3. Goals of Moving Beyond Stigma Forum • Create a public-private partnership that will shepherd an anti- stigma movement • Shift the conversation about mental illness and substance use disorders • Mobilize communities of support for those with substance use disorders and mental illness who are affected by stigma
- 4. Forum Development •26 organizations involved •Forum website http://info.williamjames.edu/mbs
- 5. 450 Attendees • Psychologists • Social Workers • Mental Health Counselors • Nurses • Attorneys • Substance Use Disorder Program Managers • Recovery Coaches • Addiction Counselors • Policymakers • Businessmen/women
- 6. Key Points • Educate the public to shift the dialogue & attitudes to reduce stigma around substance use disorder & mental illness • Attract additional resources to expand the number of programs & personnel/providers/direct service workers serving those with substance use disorders & mental illness. • Mobilize businesses to create supportive environments for their internal employees & support efforts in the broader community serving those with substance use disorders & mental illness • Address policy, discrimination, federal funding
- 7. Calls to Action • Know the facts instead of believing myths & stereotypes • Choose your words carefully • We must fight attitudes with knowledge and hope • To offer hope, we must coordinate efforts to seek common ground, set common goals and collectively act • We must hear what people with mental and substance use conditions have to say about the trauma they have experienced • Peers make hope visible
- 8. Next Steps • Additional take-aways? • Integration of our efforts with other programs • State (Governor’s Task Force, State Without StigMA) • Grayken Center for Addiction Medicine • RIZE Massachusetts • Create workgroups to address key points? • Thoughts?