Faith-Based Support Specialist Training I worked with the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention to illustrate training that equips faith leaders to support people struggling with addiction—because the opposite of addiction is connection.

I worked with for the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention (ASAP) to support their Faith-Based Support Specialist training to equip faith leaders with the knowledge, tools and resources to effectively assist those dealing with substance use disorders.

The Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention is a non-profit that works specifically in the substance misuse prevention field. The agency birthed the idea for FBSS after noticing a gap between mental health and the faith-based community. Many people who are struggling with substance misuse problems typically turn first to their spiritual leaders, who are often ill-equipped to effectively support and aid those in need of assistance and relief. The FBSS program is an interfaith program that aims to equip faith leaders to reach their congregants and participate in improving the quality of life for their communities.

If there’s one main message I came away with, it’s that the opposite of addiction is connection.

It was powerful hearing from people with lived experience. But my biggest takeaway was a presentation from a DEA agent who horrified the audience with stats about fentanyl, which is pervasive in this country and so deadly that people are dying from one dose, before they even have time to get addicted. And the gas station drugs – all synthetic chemicals that are becoming increasingly toxic and dangerous (like 7-OH), that are packaged like candy – and which are, incredibly, legal.
Many thanks to the Agency for Substance Abuse Prevention in Alabama for bringing me in to visualize your incredibly important work to improve the quality of life in communities nationwide.
To learn more about the training program: www.fbss.asaprev.com