Today, the Recovery Access Coalition (RAC), a non-profit that aims to eliminate barriers to access for FDA compliant digital health devices for substance use disorders, announced the addition of two additional organizations – the glowmedia project and SHE RECOVERS® Foundation – during National Recovery Month. Both organizations support people battling addiction. The RAC advocates on behalf of FDA compliant digital therapies, including prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs), the potentially life-changing digital therapeutics authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat substance use disorder, which may have a critical role to play for people in recovery.
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“My son, Charlie, struggled with depression and addiction. He died of an Oxycontin overdose one week shy of his 21st birthday. At the time of his death, there were few options for treating his addiction and depression,” said Trish Glowacki, Executive Director of glowmedia project. “Traditional recovery programs, while helpful for some, do not work for all. If we want to help people access the support they need to live healthy, productive lives, we need to provide broad access to the new treatments available like prescription digital therapeutics.”
The Recovery Access Coalition is advocating for Medicare coverage of FDA compliant digital health devices at the federal level, for Medicaid coverage at the state level, and for broad coverage across the commercial health insurance market. Existing members of the Coalition include Advocates for Opioid Recovery, Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation, the Kennedy Forum, the National Council for Behavioral Health, Shatterproof, and Young People in Recovery. Pear Therapeutics, Inc. is a member and sponsor of the initiative.
“Connection and community matter in recovery, especially during these times of forced social isolation,” said Dawn Nickel, Founder of SHE RECOVERS Foundation. “Our lifeline organization, SHE RECOVERS, provides effective online pro-social support to women struggling with substance use disorders but we know from daily interaction with our community members that they lack treatment options and truly need ongoing support. We are proud and excited to be a member of a Coalition committed to ensuring that all people in recovery have the opportunity to heal and thrive through increased access to innovative, evidence-based virtual tools.”
“We are pleased to have glowmedia project and SHE RECOVERS join the Coalition’s grassroots effort to address the barriers to accessing digital treatments for anyone who suffers from addiction,” said Jan Brown, CEO of Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation and a founding member of RAC. “When patients can use their devices to get safe, effective care authorized by FDA, it allows them to stay on treatment, which is critical to long lasting recovery. Together, we will advocate for broad access on behalf of patients across the nation.”
About glowmedia project
Since 2016, the glowmedia project has offered free films and resources to help young people develop the emotional agility necessary to thrive. Today’s teens live in a fast-paced environment with new and different pressures. While parents may not want to think about preparing teens for mental wellness, it needs to be part of every child’s education. The glowmedia project develops educational films addressing the various challenges affecting today’s youth. glowmedia’s films and educational materials promote open dialogue and compassionate understanding of mental health and other sensitive issues. We work with experts in the fields of education, psychology, and psychiatry to guide both our film content and the curricula that accompany each film. With free videos and resources that teens WANT to see, glowmedia helps teachers provide much-needed mental health education. For more information, visit: www.glowmedia.org.
About She Recovers
SHE RECOVERS® Foundation is a global grassroots movement currently consisting of more than 325,000 women in or seeking recovery from substance use disorders, other behavioral health issues and/or life challenges. This lifeline organization connects women through its virtual platforms and in-person community networks, provides resources and supports women to develop their own holistic recovery patchworks, and empowers them to thrive and share their successes. All efforts are designed to end the stigma and shame of “being in recovery” so that more women can heal and grow. A focus on research enables the organization to establish a more robust evidence base related to the efficacy of non-traditional recovery pathways. For more information, visit: www.sherecovers.org.
About the Recovery Access Coalition
The Recovery Access Coalition aims to eliminate barriers to access for FDA compliant digital health devices for substance use disorder. Specifically, the Coalition is seeking policy changes in Medicare, Medicaid, and the commercial insurance market to authorize coverage for digital therapies, including prescription digital therapeutics (PDTs), for substance use disorder treatment. Our goal is to increase policymakers’ awareness of the dire need for digital therapy for substance use disorder, educate policymakers about the value, safety, and efficacy of digital therapeutics in providing needed treatment digitally and promote greater patient access to – and adoption of – FDA compliant digital devices for substance use disorder. For more information, visit the Recovery Access Coalition at www.recoveryaccesscoalition.org.
About Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation
The Global Recovery Initiatives Foundation (GRI) is the first and only national community foundation dedicated to building a philanthropic source of funding for organizations to expand their capacity to provide people with SUD recovery support services. GRI supports organizations using evidence-based programs that have demonstrated success in philanthropy leaders to invest in recovery-focused nonprofit initiatives; reducing the stigma around substance use disorders and recovery; and deploying public, private, and pop culture resources to strengthen the field of recovery. For more information, visit: https://globalrecoveryinitiatives.org/
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