(SAARA of Virginia, Inc.)

EDUCATION AND ADVOCACY PLATFORM

Introduction

SAARA’s mission is to maximize the power of people to advocate for treatment and recovery in order to prevent the harmful effects of substance abuse upon families, business, and the community. We know that addiction to alcohol and other drugs costs America $249 billion per year (US Department of Health and Human Services). We also know that the emotional and disruptive cost to families and to the individual addict is very high.

We have evidence that there are many roads to recovery and that millions of people are successfully in recovery. We know that treatment works. SAARA’s goal is to bring this message to our communities. We want to put a face on recovery and educate people about the nature of addiction to drugs and alcohol and that addiction is a treatable disease.

By putting a face on recovery, we present living proof that there are solutions to problems associated with substance abuse and addiction. SAARA is an advocacy organization made up of individuals who have been impacted by addiction and want to get the message out that there are solutions to the problem. SAARA is building a strong network of individuals willing to support individuals and families in their recovery process.

Our primary objective at this stage in our growth as an organization is to continue to expand and strengthen the organization by recruiting new members and establishing new Affiliates in order to successfully meet our mission of advocacy and education. Other objectives of SAARA include establishing an effective education campaign and to find meaningful and active ways of supporting our membership in becoming effective advocates for treatment and recovery from addiction to drugs and alcohol.

Education and Advocacy Platform
A. Organizational Goals:

	Build the Membership base of SAARA
	Establish additional Affiliates throughout the State of Virginia
	Secure the organization’s financial base to defray expenses.

B. Education Goals:

	Establish resource library
	Establish an educational platform from which to operate.
	Conduct consumer based conferences throughout the State to build a mutual support network of people in recovery.
	Develop educational materials to be used by the membership.

Note: 97.5% of the organization’s financial resources are dedicated to the above organizational and educational efforts and is supported though a contract between SAARA and the Virginia Department of Mental Health, Mental Retardation, and Substance Abuse Services. The remaining 2.5% of the budget, obtained from the membership, is allocated to public policy advocacy.

C. Advocacy Goals
1. General Goals

• Advocate in our individual communities that treatment works by putting a face on recovery.
  
  
• Member Affiliates develop their individual approaches to education and advocacy in their respective communities

2. Legislative Education and Advocacy Goals

• Develop an education campaign for elected officials at both the local and state levels.
  
  
• Develop a legislative advocacy program at the State and Federal levels.