The 30th anniversary of National Addiction Professional Day is Sept. 20 and comes at a time when overdose rates are rising across the country.
Maui Behavioral Health Resources and its three agencies—Aloha House, Malama Family Recovery Center, and Maui Youth & Family Services—recognize the vital role its addiction professionals play in the health system and continuum of care.
One of those vital addiction professionals is Roxanne Feiteira, a program coordinator at the Malama Family Recovery Center. She knows firsthand how important addiction professionals are because she was an addict herself.
“My journey with Malama Family Recovery Center began on August 4, 2012,” she said in a press release. “I was 26 years old and addicted to meth and prescription pills. My two children lived with my parents. And, I no longer cared whether I lived or died. Malama changed that for me. This program gave me the tools, support, and most importantly, the confidence in myself that I needed to stay clean. The staff here made me understand that it is worth it.”
Almost 10 years later, Feiteira is off drugs and is a staff member.
“I am part of the team that brings love and light to the women and children in our community,” she said. “I can help show women that they are worth it. They deserve to be happy, healthy and drug and alcohol free. We care and we are here.”
National Addiction Professional Day was started in 1992 by the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors to commemorate the hard work addiction professionals do every day.
As a local substance abuse and mental health services organization, Maui Behavioral Health Resources served nearly 8,000 individuals and families in the Maui community in 2021.
“We are proud of our amazing team,” said Jud Cunningham, CEO of Maui Behavioral Health Resources. “Every addiction treatment specialist is dedicated to helping clients, working tirelessly to make them feel safe and cared for. Recovery practices and evidence-based treatment are vital to our community.”
National Addiction Professionals Day is held each September as part of National Recovery Month, which aims to raise awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders and celebrate people in recovery.
If you or someone you know needs help with a substance abuse disorder, help is confidential and available 24/7.
For more information on Maui Behavioral Health Resources, the three affiliated agencies or behavioral health and substance abuse services visit www.mbhr.org or call 808-579-8414.
