As the founder and CEO of a substance use disorder treatment facility, and as mother who lost her son to an overdose, National Substance Use Disorder Treatment Month is deeply personal to me. Like many parents who have faced unimaginable loss, my husband and I turned our grief into purpose by creating The Will Bright Foundation, a recovery living facility that offers individuals a safe, supportive place to heal and rebuild their lives.

At The Will Bright Foundation, we believe in the power of treatment and community. Our son, Will, died of an overdose at the age of 25, during the precarious in-between period of reentering the “real world” after rehab. That experience inspired us to build Restoration Springs – a recovery living facility designed to bridge the gap for individuals pursuing long-term recovery from substance use disorders (SUDs). Not only do we provide treatment that helps individuals maintain sobriety, but we also offer job training and employment assistance to ensure that our residents have a tangible path forward in their recovery journey.

We are committed to providing this critical support and advancing access to treatments that can make recovery possible for many. In support of this mission, I recently had the opportunity to participate in the Caregiver Action Network’s webinar about the new innovations in long-acting injectable medications. I was able to share the caregiving perspective on how reliable, sustained treatment can ease the day-to-day burden of families and, ultimately, save lives.

While expanding access to treatment is essential, preventing SUDs before they begin is just as critical. Despite a decline in opioid prescriptions, our country continues to over rely on opioids to treat pain. In a recent American Medical Association (AMA) report on substance use and treatment, the AMA highlighted that opioid prescriptions have decreased by 52% since 2012, falling from 260.5 million to 125.7 million in 2024. However, many patients still face barriers to non-opioid pain treatment options because of restrictive insurance coverage.

At The Will Bright Foundation, we believe in commonsense legislation like the Alternatives to Prevent Addiction in the Nation (PAIN) Act that would expand access to non-opioid pain treatment options, helping prevent addiction before it begins. Recently, this bipartisan bill reached a major milestone – gathering the support of 74 cosponsors – emphasizing the widespread commitment from both sides of the aisle to advance safe, evidence-based pain management treatment.

This Substance Use Disorder Month Treatment Month, the message is clear: we have the tools to treat and prevent substance use disorder, we must use them. At The Will Bright Foundation, we will continue to work with organizations like The Families, Addiction & Mental Health Network who are creating resources and advocating for policies that support long-term wellbeing.

Together, we can expand access to treatment, promote non-opioid treatment options that reduce unnecessary risk and support families through every stage of this journey.