BISMARCK, N.D. – Gov. Doug Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Burgum are inviting the general public, Native American communities, business and community leaders, behavioral health providers, university and college representatives, health care providers and administrators, addiction recovery advocates, faith-based communities, first responders, law enforcement, families and more to join them for Recovery Reinvented on Nov. 12, 2019, at the Bismarck Event Center.
The daylong event will feature state and national addiction and recovery experts who will focus on reinventing recovery by empowering communities to take action, creating recovery-friendly workplace environments, and eliminating the stigma surrounding the disease of addiction.
The event will also include an Empowerment Expo, which will connect people to extensive addiction, recovery, and mental health organizations and resources from across the state. Information and resources will be available to family members to help guide conversations around addiction and recovery. Recovery Reinvented awards will honor local individuals and groups that are making a tremendous impact in the field of addiction and recovery.
The featured speakers include:
- Gary Mendell, the founder and CEO of Shatterproof, a national nonprofit focused on reversing the course of the addiction crisis in America. After losing his son Brian to addiction in 2011, Mendell founded Shatterproof to spare other families the tragedy his had suffered. Since founding Shatterproof in 2012, Mendell has been a national leader in the addiction space, creating solutions that will create more access to treatment for opioid and substance use disorders, including the creation of the Shatterproof National Principles of Care to guide providers, payers and patients to quality treatment. He advocates for state and federal policy changes and soon will be launching a national strategy and call to action to address stigma related to opioid and substance use Disorders.
- Carol McDaid, principal at Capitol Decisions Inc. in Washington, D.C. As a person in long-term recovery with over 25 years of federal legislative experience in Washington, McDaid brings a breadth of knowledge and policy expertise in combatting the disease of addiction and supporting recovery. McDaid played a strong role in the passing of landmark legislation requiring insurers to treat addiction, mental and physical health problems equally. Having established one of Virginia’s leading peer-to-peer recovery community organizations with her husband, her experience will translate how to effectively engage communities to support recovery.
- Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald is the current president of United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck. McDonald is an enrolled member of the Spirit Lake Nation and a proud descendant of the Sahnish, Hidatsa, and Hunkpapa Nations. Prior to beginning his role as president of UTTC in 2014, McDonald served as chairman for the Spirit Lake Nation and was an assistant professor at the University of North Dakota Center for Rural Health. His published research focused on Native elders’ health risks and disparities, American Indian veterans’ access to health care, and American Indians’ behavior risk factors. An example of the power of recovery, McDonald is a person in long-term recovery for 25 years after going through treatment 16 times.
Local stories of recovery from across North Dakota will be highlighted throughout the day as well.
“This year’s Recovery Reinvented event is focused on providing people with a toolkit to take direct action in their communities to eliminate the stigma of addiction and create cultures of support for recovery,” First Lady Burgum said. “We are fortunate to have powerful national and local speakers who will inspire everyone – from grassroots community members to our state leaders – that being part of the solution is tangible and necessary.”
Recovery Reinvented is scheduled for Nov. 12 at the Bismarck Event Center. The Behavioral Health Conference will be held the following days on Nov. 13-15, also at the Bismarck Event Center. Registration for Recovery Reinvented will open on Sept. 3, and event information is available at recoveryreinvented.com with additional updates being shared on Facebook @GovernorDougBurgum and @FirstLadyND and Twitter @DougBurgum and @FirstLadyND.