August 2024

We're a few days late because we've had so many great things happening behind the scenes. Before we all head out for the weekend, let's get you caught up!

Congratulations Diane, Mickayla and Vanessa!

Three peers working on the Straight Up Care platform, Diane Eide, Mickayla Hanzlik and Vanessa Needles , at Mission: Possible ?| Advancing Action Against Substance Use Together, spoke about the transformative impact of peer support in mental health, recovery and well-being. The two-day event was hosted by the Northeast South Dakota Area Health Education Center .

Reduce The Stigma - Unfiltered

July's RTS-U topic was Culture. We dove into the intersection of culture with addiction, mental health, substance use, recovery, and overall well-being. Did you miss the live stream? No worries! Head over to ReduceTheStigma.com and catch all our episodes on your schedule. Big thank you to our guests, Robert Cooper and Tom Decoteau.

Our next Reduce The Stigma - Unfiltered is on Tuesday, 8/27 @ 8pm EDT. Stay tuned to our LinkedIn page for the live s

?? Help Advocate for Peer Support Specialists! ??

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) is updating the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system, a process that occurs just once every decade. This is a crucial moment to push for the creation of a specific category for peer support specialists. By supporting this initiative, we can achieve:

• Increased recognition of peer support services in national data.
• Greater accessibility to peer support specialists.
• Improved wages and working conditions for peer workers.
• Strengthened development of this vital workforce to meet the rising demand.

?? It takes just 30 seconds to submit a comment ! Your input will directly influence how the federal government recognizes and supports peer specialists.?

We're hosting a giveaway!!

Join us on our mission to reduce stigma surrounding mental health, addiction, substance use and the life events that intersect with them.

With 5 different types of prizes and a total of 47 prizes available, your entry demonstrates your commitment to fighting stigma and amplifying commonly silenced, dismissed, and disenfranchised voices.

ReduceTheStigma.com went through a revamp last month; we are in love with the new site and know you will be to. In addition to being the home of the Reduce The Stigma podcast, it's also a video sharing platform where ANYONE can share their message.