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Volume 33 Number 30 Szalavitz’s harm-reduction history a must- August 2, 2021 read for the field Print ISSN 1042-1394 Maia Szalavitz is often viewed as an Online ISSN 1556-7591 enemy of treatment. Her frequent Bottom Line… outspoken criticism of substance The new — and first — book about use disorder (SUD) treatment, the history of harm reduction and its intersection with addiction is out, IN THIS ISSUE… mainly on social media, make the Mfield cautious about her. But in fact, and worth a read. Our page 1 stories an important book her solid reporting and journal- about the history of harm reduction, ism make Undoing Drugs, her new We talked to Szalavitz last week including an interview with author book on the history of harm reduc- about the book, which was released Maia Szalavitz, and the challenges of tion and the connection to addic- July 27. replacing retiring longtime SSTAR CEO tion, essential reading, especially “I thought about this for many Nancy Paull. for treatment providers. At a time years, and in fact, I was afraid of . See stories, this page when books about SUDs, especially doing it because there’s so much about opioids and especially by about writing about a political Meeting: Make OUD medications people who previously had opioid movement that’s really hard,” said available in jails and prisons use disorder (OUD), are flooding Szalavitz, who herself is in recovery . See page 3 the market, it’s a pleasure to read from OUD, and was in treatment Recovery-informed theory: one that is so well informed. See BOOK page 2 Make room for experience . See page 6 Retirement of a longtime leader triggers States make $26 billion opioid deal with major drug companies a soul-searching process . See page 6 Any planned departure of an orga- longtime CEO Nancy Paull plans to nization’s top administrator gener- leave the organization next January. ates a healthy amount of anxiety The carefully designed components among staff, and often the commu- of its search for a new chief exec- 2019 recipient of Henrick J. nity served as well. When the exit- utive can offer guidance to other Harwood and Robert E. ing leader has been at the helm for addiction treatment organizations Anderson Award in A Recognition of an decades and has shepherded a suc- that soon will face the retirement Individual’s Distinguished cessful organizational transforma- of top leaders from a baby boomer Service in the Field of Addiction Research, tion, the level of concern about the generation that largely built the sub- NEWSLETTER WRITING Training, and Evaluation. future can rise exponentially. stance use treatment industry from The team at Fall River, Massachu- the ground up. setts–based SSTAR (Stanley Street Using the term “addiction treat- Treatment and Resources) is experi- ment organization” to describe Honorable Mention 2016 Michael Q. Ford Spot News 2016 Journalism Award encing the full range of emotions as SSTAR is something of a misnomer, actually. Paull’s decision to pursue FIND US ON FOLLOW US ON Bottom Line… a fully integrated behavioral health As SSTAR searches for a new chief and primary care model, at a time when most saw only insurmountable adawnewsletter ADAWnews executive, it is emphasizing the importance of engaging its existing hurdles to such a move, transformed © 2021 Wiley Periodicals LLC staff and remaining true to its SSTAR into a federally qualified View this newsletter online at wileyonlinelibrary.com health center (FQHC) operation DOI: 10.1002/adaw integrated care mission. See SSTAR page 7 A Wiley Periodicals LLC publication. wileyonlinelibrary.com 2 Alcoholism & Drug Abuse Weekly August 2, 2021 BOOK from page 1 but “at least it shows that you’re get- when you’re making money from with methadone in her 20s. “You ting somewhere.” something,” said Szalavitz. This is have to decide who to put in and And, as Szalavitz stresses in one of the risks that harm reduc- who to leave out, and that’s hard Undoing Drugs, there’s a difference tion is facing via co-option as well. for me as a human being,” she told between being a service provider For treatment, Szalavitz pro- ADAW. “There were several other and being a radical on the street. moted “evidence-based treat- people I thought might [write this Both are part of harm reduction. ment that appropriately cares for book] who didn’t, and I realized She also looks at the harm- patients.” As for 12-Step modalities, that people’s memories go.” reduction origins, when it comes she doesn’t think there is any basis With so much money being to syringe exchange, in HIV and for its incorporation in treatment. added to the SUD pie — in preven- AIDS. The HIV-AIDS activists like “It’s fine to recommend 12-Step, tion, treatment, recovery and now ACT UP were out in force, profes- but to teach people that they are harm reduction — there is “always sional and accomplished a lot; why powerless over alcohol interferes the danger of co-option,” said Sza- hasn’t the drug-using community with what we know, which is that lavitz, responding to our ques- been able to do the same? “I don’t the idea of powerlessness can make tion about how formerly grassroots think it’s surprising that we haven’t people relapse more badly.” organizations would handle new seen that kind of activism” by drug Another reason Szalavitz grants. “This can be very difficult, users, people in recovery and their opposes incorporating 12-Step especially when you have people advocates, she said. “By the time groups into treatment is that “you who have no experience manag- the AIDS epidemic happened, gay can get that for free elsewhere.” ing” these grants, she said. The big- people were less criminalized” Her bottom line: “Treatment should gest danger is that “co-option takes than they had been, or than drug be treatment; self-help should be the spirit out of” the harm-reduc- users are now. Also, many people self-help.” tion movement, she said. in recovery “just want to get on However, she thinks the 12 Steps However, staying grassroots with their lives; some are devoting hold benefits for everyone. “I believe means staying less effective than their energy to becoming counsel- that every human being could ben- harm reduction could be, some ors,” she said. efit from taking a moral inventory,” say. “Every movement wants to go she said, referring to Step 4. “But mainstream,” said Szalavitz. “But as On treatment you cannot give someone a sense of Monique Tula [executive director of Of people in recovery, Szalavitz meaning and purpose — that has to the Harm Reduction Coalition] said, told ADAW that “if they do end up come from within.” the goal is to challenge the main- being advocates, it’s for the treat- Actual SUD treatment should con- stream and bring them along toward ment industry.” (This comment was sist of cognitive behavioral therapy, your position.” not in passing; if she hadn’t said this relapse prevention, motivational That said, Szalavitz acknowl- many times during our interview, we interviewing and other tools “that edged that there is “always a sad- wouldn’t have included it.) have been tested,” said Szalavitz. ness” when co-option takes place, “You have a different interest And for OUD, the best treatment $946 (personal, rest of world), $8136 (institutional, U.S., Can./Mex.), £4283 (institutional, U.K.), €5416 (institutional, Europe), $8390 (institutional, rest of world); Print & online: $863 (personal, U.S./Can./Mex.), £525 (personal, U.K.), €665 (personal, Europe), $1,025 (personal, rest of world), $10,171 (institutional, U.S., Can./Mex.), £5,354 (institutional, U.K.),€6771 (institutional, Europe), $10,488 (institutional, rest of world); Online only: $627 (personal, U.S./Can./Mex.), £324 (personal, U.K.), €408 (personal, Europe), $627 (personal, rest of world), $8136 (institutional, U.S./Can./Mex.), £4283 (institutional, U.K.), €5416 (institutional, Europe), $8390 (institutional, rest of world). 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