Together Magazine

Dear Friends,

The Surgeon General has warned that one in seven Americans will face addiction in their lifetime,* and the Department of Health and Human Services has declared the opioid epidemic a national public health emergency—a designation that, until now, was reserved for outbreaks of infectious disease or natural disasters.

But even as we face these incredibly challenging times, the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation is here to say there's plenty of room for optimism.

In this special-focus issue of Together magazine, we're bringing you stories of triumph, innovation, commitment, love and encouragement—enduring forces of healing and hope that will help to see us through the crisis at hand. Please, read on to discover:

• How Josh C. reclaimed his "inner fearlessness" in recovery from opioid addiction
• Why a new treatment protocol for opioid dependence is such a game-changer
• What happens when a Graduate School alum returns to his hometown to help others get clean and sober
• Why so many grandparents are—ready or not—stepping in to raise grandchildren stranded by addiction
• How communities are coming together to address the opioid epidemic at the state and local level

We're excited to share all of these important and encouraging stories with you. Thank you for reading, caring, supporting and sharing—for choosing to be an active member of our big-hearted, hope-filled Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation family.

Mark G. Mishek
President & CEO, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation

*U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General, Facing Addiction in America: The Surgeon General's Report on Alcohol, Drugs, and Health; November 2016.