In its third year, the Advocacy Leadership Program is designed to foster, support and promote a generation of leaders in New Jersey committed to confronting the state’s most pressing addiction treatment, prevention and recovery issues.

The Advocacy Leadership Program aims to develop highly knowledgeable and trained citizens of New Jersey, especially those most impacted or affected by alcohol and drug addiction, who will contribute significantly by participating in policy decisions that influence the treatment and prevention of, as well as recovery from, alcohol and drug addiction. The issues at the forefront of the Program are closing the state’s addiction treatment gap; ending the stigmatization of addiction by promoting recovery; ending discrimination experienced by persons in recovery; and, preventing addiction. The program fosters engaged and educated advocates by building an understanding of self-advocacy, legislative / govern-ment processes, social change models, story-telling, as well as how to use social capital as a way of influencing others to take action. The ultimate goal is to have Advocacy Leaders become fully empowered advocates engaged in systems change efforts via core leadership teams established throughout New Jersey.