LIRA members @ LI UNITED: Michelle Louzoun, Richard Buckman, Edmond Hakimi, Suzanne Loevner, and Ed Olsen

An estimated crowd of 1000 flocked to SUNY Farmingdale

THE ANONYMOUS PEOPLE

Has now been viewed by more than 1 million people and continues to inspire new voices to join our growing movement. LIRA will continue to host community screenings in 2015 and 2016. Our next screening is September 16th 7PM at 535 Broadhollow Rd 2015 in Melville. Stay tuned for other dates.

Albany TAP screening on the legislative concourse: FOR-NYBoard members with Greg Williams

LIRAs Annual Rock N Recovery Celebration

LIRA held its Rock N Recovery VI celebration at the Deer Park Community Center in September 2014. Some 200+ attendees enjoyed a great evening at our free event, while enjoying a delicious hot Italian buffet and celebrating National Recovery Month. More then $2000.00 in scholarship awards and prizes were given away thanks to our many sponsors and donors. LIRA honored two Friend of Recovery Award recipients once again in 2014, John Haley and Mark Epleyboth executives with Seafield were recognized for their commitment to recovery and participation and support of advocacy efforts over the years. Seafield has been a major LIRA supporter since our inception more than 15 years ago and we appreciate their genuine commitment to recovery in word and deed.

Friend of Recovery Award Recipients Mark Epley,John Haley

Once again the LIRA board opted to present two separate recovery community scholarship awards (RCSA) of $500.00 each; in 2014 to

Suzanne Loevner and Rise Gibson. Both are women in long term recovery, dedicated recovery advocates and graduates of the Suffolk County Community College Chemical Dependency Studies Program. Rise has since graduated from Stony Brook and is now an MSW. Suzanne is also a student in the social work program and was recently elected to the

LIRA board of directors. Congratulations to these well deserving recipients both shining examples of the proof and power of long term recovery. The cumulative total of RCSA giving

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A full house celebrates recovery with LIRA in Deer Park

Many sponsors and supporters donated funds, goods, door prizes or resources and helped to make this free event possible. A huge thank you to all contributors for your generosity!

You can see the complete 2014 scroll of honor sponsor/donor list on the last page.

Rock n Recovery committee member Claudia Friszell sure has the spirit while distributing raffle baskets to winners.

We would like to acknowledge the following individuals for their time and energy, helping to make our annual event a huge success: Tina

Bruzzo, Richard Buckman, Nicole Carey, Sue Ferrero, Claudia Friszell, Rise Gibson, Eugenia Karahalias, Suzanne Loevner, Michelle Louzoun, Doreen Mazzei- Buckman, Althea Migliore, Nora Milligan, Ed

Some Rock N Recovery Committee members take a bow

The students in the Chemical Dependency Program for CASAC studies at Suffolk Community College were a big help. Thanks to

Kathy Ayers-Lanzilotta for continuing the tradition of empowering students to participate in LIRA events and advocacy efforts as an adjunct to their CASAC training experience.

ROCK N RECOVERY VII SAVE THE DATE!

Join us this year on Friday Sept 25th 2015 at St Peters Lutheran Church in Huntington Station as we once again celebrate National Recovery Month with our flagship event. LIRA has chosen fellow trailblazers Jeff Reynolds andTeri Kroll as our 2015 Friend of Recovery Award recipients. Congratulations to these two tireless, outstanding advocates! More details available on our web site www.lira-nys.orgPlease consider a donation or sponsorship!

Friends of Recovery New York (FOR-NY)Funding was renewed and increased by OASAS to FOR-NY in a new 5 year contract that will add considerable resources to the growing effort to expand recovery supports across the state. FOR-NY once again hosted the annual statewide Recovery Rally and Advocacy Day in Albany on February 10, 2015. More then 200 advocates statewide, including 50+ from Long Island rallied in support of continuing to confront addiction through pro-

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active legislation and by expanding recovery support services across New York State

Jean Fessenden & Suzanne Loevner and LIRA lead the way from the morning rally to the state capitol to meet with legislators.

FOR-NY continues its work to organize and mobilize recovery supporters statewide. Since its inception LIRA has remained a major supporter and significant contributor to theFOR-NY effort and growth. Founded in 2008FOR-NY has recently hired a full team of staff members including Nicole Carey from LIRA to help grow recovery supports statewide.

LIRA started working on improving sober homes more then 10 years ago and the increased reimbursement rate is a specific LIRA recommendation that was approved to reward and incentivize operators who agree to higher standards to improve the quality of life. The National Association of Recovery Residences (NARR) is making significant progress in bringing quality standards to recovery housing across the country. In Florida legislation has just been passed leading to the certification of sober home residences

LEGISLATIVE NEWS

This past session advocates worked feverishly for passage of a physician education bill which was not voted on in the Assembly. Advocates across the state with a strong push from LIRA,

FIST and LICADD pressed the Assembly until the end of session yet fell short reminding us that more work remains to be done to help stem the tide of opiate addiction.

FOR-NY rallies advocates at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Albany for the Recovery Advocacy Day Rally on February 10, 2015

www.for-ny.org

RECOVERY HOUSING

Several providers were approved to receive the enhanced housing operators rate from Suffolk County DSS for recovery homes. The pilot project is a continuation on our groundwork to improve the quality of living for all especially newcomers in recovery by ensuring they have a clean, healthy and safe residence as they tackle the tasks of early recovery.

Long Island advocates press conference with Suffolk legislators urging passage of a Physician education bill

LIRA & FOR-NY members met with key legislators and the Governor’s office advocating for increased funding for OASAS to support recovery peer services including recovery community organizations and recovery centers. Our efforts paid off with a renewal and increase in FOR-NY funding and OASAS received an additional $5 million and planned to make available funding for 4-6 new recovery centers statewide with these resources. Congratulations to all who helped!

On the Federal level the Comprehensive Addiction Recovery Act (CARA) was introduced in the Senate (S-524) by Senator

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Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI). CARA would promote recovery support services and combat the opiate epidemic by infusing up to $80 million into pro-active programs and services. LIRA with our friends at Metro IAF recruited Senator Chuck Schumer as aco-sponsor and helped persuade Senator Kirstin Gilibrand to sign on as well. On the House side, freshman east end Congressman Lee Zeldin, responded favorably to our direct request for co- sponsorship of the same asHR-953 bill (Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) and more recently Rep. Steve Israel agreed to become a co-sponsor too. We continue to pursue representatives Peter King, Kathleen Rice and Gregory Meeks. All of our congressional members should be in favor of this legislation and be willing to co- sponsor. We are on it!

FACES & VOICES OF RECOVERY

The national voice of the recovery community for nearly 15 years continues to lead the way. The Faces & Voices Board of Directors hired

Patty McCarthy Metcalf a former board member from Vermont as Executive Director to lead Faces & Voices into the future.

The Annual America Honors Recovery AHR Awards dinner was held in Arlington Va. in late July. This annual gala is an incredible event !

landscape with federal representatives, celebrities and other prominent individuals in attendance once again. The stars remain aligned for recovery and we need to keep the momentum going to end the opiate epidemic, eliminate discriminatory policies & practices and increase support for recovery initiatives.

ARCO: The Association of Recovery Community Organizations another Faces and Voices initiative continues to grow and now boasts 103 organizational members across the country with a dozen more applications waiting to be reviewed including some international outfits from Canada, South America and the United Kingdom. Each year ARCO leaders are invited to attend the Executive Leadership

Academy (ELA) which was held on July 23rd & 24th in conjunction with the America Honors recovery banquet this year. Attendees experience cutting workshop and trainings with prominent subject matter experts from across the country.

AHR: Carol McDaid,John Shinholser,Tatiana Green, Richard Buckman

A standing room only ballroom of 250 saw The Anonymous People film maker Greg Williamsreceive the Voice of Recovery Award and former Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment-CSAT Dr H. Westley Clarkreceive the Lisa Mojer-Torres Award. Three deserving advocates received Vernon Johnson Awards and USARA of UTAH was recognized as the Recovery Community Organization of the Year. This annual AHR event is helping to raise the profile of recovery on the national

Some of the >70 ARCO leaders in Arlington VA July 24, 2015

With heavy hearts Faces and Voices of Recovery mourns the tragic loss of Jerry Gillen, long time staff member and Director of Operations. We are reminded how precious life is. RIP Jerry and thank you for your service.

LIRA MEMBERS IN THE SPOTLIGHT Anthony Rizzuto was honored by NASW

Nassau as social worker of the year and received his MSW degree from Adelphi.Richard Buckman was named Chairman of the Board of Directors for Faces and Voices of Recovery in Washington DC.

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Tatiana Green is featured in televised public service announcements for OASAS addressing addictions devastation and the power and reality of recovery. Congratulations to these tremendous LIRA member advocates,

LIRA TIDBITS

Congratulations to our new board members,

Suzanne Loevner, Michelle Louzoun and

Tatiana Green; we applaud your commitment to service, welcome to these powerful women! A special thanks to former LIRA board member Craig Sehlhoff who has embarked on a journey across the country, we wish him well on his path of self discovery.

FAMILIES IN SUPPORT OF TREATMENT (FIST)

Continued to host community educational forums helping to inspire more family members to join a growing, vocal and active group of advocates. Led by LIRA board memberAnthony Rizzuto and Long Island family members with support of many individuals, organizations and treatment providers, the FIST presence is being felt across the state providing a venue for families to speak out about the impact of addiction on lives and local communities. We will continue to work closely with our sister group to address all our common areas of concern statewide.

SUPPORT LIRA

LIRA does not receive any funding; all of our work is done by volunteers including our dedicated board of directors, members of the community, affected families and individuals in recovery. LIRA’s good work is made possible only with the support of our members and friends through various donations. Please consider supporting LIRA by making a 100% tax deductible contribution. Make checks payable to Friends of Recovery LI and mail to LIRA at PO Box 262 Franklin Square NY11010-0262. Your generosity makes it possible for us to continue educational and advocacy efforts and to host community events.

Additional details about LIRA are available on our web site www.lira-nys.org Like us and check out our Facebook page.

Scroll of Honor Sponsors/Donors-2014

Recovery Angel = $2,500

Potential Behavioral Health Advisors

Recovery Champion = $1,000

Seafield Center Inc.

Lakeview Health

Recovery Ambassador = $500

John Haley

Mark Epley

Bridgeback to Life


Long Island Center for Recovery

Recovery Advocate = $250

Karl & Angie Ruhry in Memory of Peter K Ruhry John Buckman

Kenneth Peters Center

LECSA EAP

EAPA LI Chapter

American Addiction Centers

Phoenix House of Long Island

200 Computer Solutions

Gathering of Light Interspiritual Fellowship

Ambrosia Treatment Centers

Joan Phillips

Recovery Friend = $100

Daytop Family Association

NAFAS-Nassau County Providers

Ken Lavery

Backstretch Employee Service

Central Nassau Guidance

Quality Consortium Suffolk County

Bethpage Federal Credit Union

Mary & Joseph Callan

Nancy Beckett Lawless

Jeff & Maureen Reynolds

Al Buckman & Nina Massey

Bruce & Lois Till

Senator Phil Boyle

Seafield Provider Relations Dept

Richard & Doreen Buckman

Patricia Fulton

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