By Ryan McGlaughlin, Executive Director, SMART Recovery Australia
It was a privilege to attend the SMART Recovery Annual conference and the 20th Anniversary celebration in Washington D.C. in September.
Michael Botticelli, Acting Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (and someone who’s recovered from their own addictive behaviours), opened the conference and set the professional and warm tone for the next two days.
President Tom Horvath’s “SMART 101” presentation, as well as esteemed addiction expert William White’s video on the history of the US Recovery movement, demonstrated the significant progress of SMART Recovery. It was very satisfying to hear the positive feedback from delegates at the conference having their first SMART Recovery experience.
Congratulations to Curtis Boudreau and SMART Recovery Alberta for the achievement of becoming a registered charity. Denmark also needs to be acknowledged for the growth of SMART Recovery in that country. It is the first year that there are more SMART Recovery meetings happening outside of the U.S.A.
Tony Wales, SMART Recovery Australia Chairperson and member of the SMART Recovery Board, Josette Freeman, SMART Recovery Australia National Program Coordinator, and myself were invited to attend the SMART Recovery Strategic Planning Day also in Washington D.C.
It was very surprising that the feedback from the SMART Recovery Strategic Questionnaire that was completed by 850 people was consistent with similar feedback SMART Recovery Australia received when developing our new strategic plan:
• SMART Recovery must consolidate and grow – more people need to know about SMART and SMART needs to be there for more people.
• Develop a worldwide “community of SMART Recovery” – great in many ways but it could become a better-connected community.
• Improve choice and access.
• Sharpen up the SMART Recovery Program – modernise and keep up with the pace of changing communications.
• Overhaul the websites – make them a proper vehicle for everything SMART.
• Improve quality control around facilitators – support and professionalise.
It is a key target of the SMART Recovery Australia Strategic Direction 2014-19 and Strategic Plan 2014-17 for SMART Recovery Australia to be “a strong contributor to the development of SMART Recovery around the world.”
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