Addiction, Recovery, and Public Policy: A conversation with William Moyers

Oregon faces a growing epidemic of substance use disorders: alcohol, opioids, and a variety of other addictive and dangerous drugs. President Trump recently declared a “national emergency” around the nation’s opioid crisis. Join us for a frank discussion about how Oregon and the nation can move forward on this crucial health care issue.

William Moyers is vice president of public affairs and community relations at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. He is also the author of Broken: My Story of Addiction and Redemption, a best-selling memoir about his multi-decade struggle to overcome addiction. He will discuss the impact of addiction on his family, career and community.

Dwight Holton, former U.S. Attorney for Oregon and current CEO of Lines for Life, a not-for-profit organization working to prevent substance misuse and maintain a 24-hour crisis line, will interview Moyers. Holton also is the statewide coordinator for the Oregon Coalition for Responsible Use of Meds, which was founded in 2013 to reduce misuse and overdose from prescription drugs.

This event honors National Recovery Month, created by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) to increase understanding of mental and substance use disorders and to celebrate the people who recover.