During the 1990s, leading national organizations serving the addiction field – including prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery – identified the need to build bridges with each other as well as with institutions throughout society. The Johnson Institute was asked to host a gathering of top executives that now includes more than 50 national organizations. The Forum convenes every spring and fall in Washington, DC at the National Press Club.
The Forum’s core membership includes the private and non-profit institutions directly serving the addiction field. Each year, more health and public policy organizations are finding it useful to associate with the addiction field through the Forum, including professions with an important stake in America’s campaign against addiction, including lawyers, social workers, nurses and others.
Joining these groups, as guest organizations are the government agencies with specific responsibility in addiction prevention, treatment and recovery. The Forum’s has raised significant awareness within the field toward the family nature of addiction consequences and the importance of research and science-based thinking in every initiative.
Twenty-one national organizations crafted the original “Stepping Stones Accords” in October, 1993 at a symposium called by the Stepping Stone Foundation in Briarcliff Manor, New York. With the signing of these “principles in common,” an era of unity and collaborative national action on issues related to chemical dependency was launched.
Alcohol and other drug addiction remains America’s number one health problem and major tax burden, undermining the general health and welfare of its citizens and eroding its economy. A solution requires wide knowledge and broad acceptance of responsibility by every segment of society. To build such a focus, the National Forum participants commend these accords:
- To fight for a comprehensive range of quality prevention, treatment, and recovery services for chemical dependency, a primary disease in the nation’s healthcare system.
- To incorporate cultural and age appropriate care for family members whether or not the addicted person is in treatment and/or recovery.
- To acknowledge major advances in science and practice that ensure more effective approaches to treatments, prevention, and public policy and bring the possibility of recovery to more and more Americans.
- To focus our message to the public, communicating pride in our accomplishments, acknowledging our limitations and instilling hope for science and practice solutions to addiction disease in the future.
- To engage our organizations in the ongoing healthcare debate, committing resources and special skills in keeping with these accords.
Principles In Common For
THE NATIONAL FORUM
Discovering Solutions to the Nation’s Alcohol and Other Drug Problems.