Topics discussed in this episodeIn this episode, Don discusses a "boatload of issues" of interest to SUD professionals, including the impact of budget cuts. 🟣Don's "do-gooder" experience in long-term recovery, working for the government, anti-poverty, drug treatment, and homeless youth programs. 🟣 Recovery Friendly Workplace Program 🟣 Voices of Hope, providing wound care, peer support, safe sex services, needle exchange, counseling, and 12-Step meetings🟣 Benefits of community joint effort to tackle SUD 🟣 Progress in SUD understanding with the Surgeon General Vivek Murthy's report "Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General’s Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health"🟣John Hopkins survey to show how many Marylanders know somebody with an SUD🟣Impact of losing funding for SAMHSA, Medicaid cuts, Department of Health and Human Services, CDC, breakfast and school lunch programs for kids and after-school programs, community coalitions, community-based non-profit organizations. 80,000 employees from the Veteran's Administration🟣Showing the impact if your program went away because of budget cuts🟣 No data without stories and no stories without data🟣 The "Drug Capital of America" 🟣 Why the "Just Say No" campaign didn't work🟣 Having a $300,000 SAMHSA grant for 3 years eliminated🟣How non-profits save the taxpayer money🟣2 ways to oppose budget cuts🟣Rural hospital closures likely with Medicaid cuts🟣 4 words to share: Treatment works. Recovery is possible. 🟣2000 physicians cut at John Hopkins University🟣Challenge legally, respectfully, but strongly🟣How Certified peer support specialists help rebuild lives 🟣 Turn tax drainers into taxpayers🟣 Hosting an addiction panel event on a local cable station Don's Wisdom"The days of rugged individualism are over, and it's not because there aren't rugged individualists. There are. The fact is, we're dependent upon each other.""We need to be good advocates and stand up for what we think is right and what's good for people."Addiction Podcast Guest:Don Mathis, Certified Peer Support Specialist, Voices of Hope Board Member, Susquehanna Workforce Network,✉️donmathis59@aim.comSusquehanna Workforce Network🔗https://www.swnetwork.org/Voices of Hope🔗https://www.voicesofhopemaryland.org📅Event MentionedApril 10, 2025Facing Addiction Hartford County: It's a Family Affairhttps://harfordtv.org/hcn_program/facing-addiction-in-harford-county-finding-facts-solutions-and-hope/📘Book MentionedChasing a Flawed Sun by Dan McGheehttps://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Flawed-Sun-Daniel-McGhee/dp/1733948503Guest location: MarylandAddiction Podcast Host:⁠Chris Langley⁠, Co-Founder | ⁠Addiction Recovery Place⁠