Governor and First Lady Burgum stand on stage at Recovery Reinvented

RECOVERY REINVENTED 2022

NOVEMBER 3, 2022 | Alerus Center | Grand Forks, ND

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Gov. Doug Burgum and First Lady Kathryn Burgum today hosted the sixth Recovery Reinvented, a daylong in-person and online event focused on reinventing recovery through eliminating the stigma of the disease of addiction.

They were joined by national and state addiction recovery experts and more than 700 in-person attendees at the Alerus Center in Grand Forks as well as over 900 online viewers who spanned the state and nation, with some international audience members in Indonesia, Portugal and South Africa.

“Working together – all of us, all of you, the State of North Dakota, all of our partners, communities, faith-based organizations, providers, everyone coming together – the positive momentum we have in North Dakota is spreading across the country in terms of how we’re approaching the powerful, pervasive disease of addiction,” Gov. Burgum said in his opening remarks. “We believe that behavioral health, mental health, the disease of addiction – it’s all health, and it should be treated as such by focusing on the foundations of well-being, the physical health, the behavioral health and the economic health, and we can continue to grow as a strong and healthy state.”

The governor and first lady emphasized the importance of turning “Advocacy into Action” through sharing hopeful stories of finding recovery from addiction, empowering individuals to be recovery advocates by enacting local change, and recognizing local organizations and individuals who actively work to end stigma and empower recovery in their own communities. They also highlighted the state’s progress in addressing the disease of addiction over the past six years, including the training of nearly 800 peer support specialists and the success of the Free Through Recovery program.

“Storytelling helps eliminate the stigma of addiction. It helps people understand that addiction can happen to anyone and that people do recover, and they look just like all of you and like me,” First Lady Burgum, who has been in recovery for more than 20 years, said in a powerful first-person account of her own alcohol addiction. “Talk about it, because by doing so you’ll be normalizing the conversation around this disease and you’ll be helping to eliminate the stigma, which will encourage more people to reach out for help. And all of you will be helping to save lives, families and communities.“

The event was highlighted by a number of North Dakota community members and organizations who were recognized for their efforts to implement innovative solutions to address the disease of addiction. Recovery Champion award recipients were:

  • Bismarck Opioid Overdose Department of Justice Grant Project, featuring a partnership between Heartview Foundation, the Bismarck Police Department, Sanford and CHI St. Alexius emergency rooms, and Ministry on the Margins for bridging the gap between overdose hospital visits and access to chemical dependency treatment, increasing access to Medication Assisted Treatment and increasing access and availability of Narcan in the community.
  • Jenny Olson, for her entrepreneurial spirit in establishing the foundation of the Office of Recovery Reinvented as its first managing director, guiding the office through four Recovery Reinvented events, the Innovate Recovery Competition, Youth Ending Stigma Challenge, and greater collaboration with businesses to support recovery friendly workplaces.
  • Cindy McMillan, for her leadership as a middle school and high school substance abuse counselor in the Grand Forks Public Schools, working tirelessly on behalf of students and their families, meeting them for alcohol and drug evaluations and one-on-one counseling.
  • Kristy Johnson, for sharing her lived experience to support the state of North Dakota’s Behavioral Health Division team through the coordination of peer support specialists and supporting the “Call Kay” program, which offers support to pregnant mothers struggling with substance use that need a kind and judgment-free person to talk to.

The keynote speakers at today’s event included:

  • Carrie Steinseifer-Bates, three-time Olympic gold medalist and outreach manager at the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation.
  • Philip Rutherford, chief operating officer, Faces & Voices of Recovery.
  • Teliea Baker, director, The Door Recovery Lodge.
  • Dr. Bruce Perry, trauma expert and author of “What Happened to You?: Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing.”

Speakers

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Dr. Bruce Perry

Dr. Bruce Perry, principal of the Neurosequential Network, senior fellow of The ChildTrauma Academy and a professor (adjunct) in the departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Feinberg School of Medicine at Northwestern University in Chicago and the School of Allied Health, College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria Australia. Over the last 30 years, Perry, a Bismarck native, has been an active teacher, clinician and researcher in children’s mental health and the neurosciences, holding a variety of academic positions. His work on the impact of abuse, neglect and trauma on the developing brain has impacted clinical practice, programs and policy across the world. Perry is the author, with Maia Szalavitz, of “The Boy Who Was Raised As A Dog,” a bestselling book based on his work with maltreated children, and “Born For Love: Why Empathy is Essential and Endangered.” His most recent book, “What Happened to You? Conversations on Trauma, Resilience, and Healing,” co-authored with Oprah Winfrey, was released in 2021.

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Carrie Steinseifer-Bates

Carrie Steinseifer-Bates, outreach manager for the Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation. Steinseifer-Bates is a three-time Olympic gold medalist in swimming and, more importantly, a person living in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. She got sober in 2012 after multiple stays in treatment and has dedicated her life’s work to helping others find treatment and recovery. She has a deep passion for recovery and a strong belief that treatment saves lives. Steinseifer-Bates lives in Oregon with her husband. She has two young adult daughters and enjoys spending time with family and friends. She is an active member of the recovery community and enjoys running and competing in triathlons.

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Philip Rutherford

Philip Rutherford, chief operating officer for Faces & Voices of Recovery. Rutherford is a recovery coach and a passionate member of the recovery community. As COO, he is responsible for multiple lines of business within the Faces & Voices ecosystem. Rutherford is credited with a significant role in the conception, design, launch and facilitation of the Recovery Data Platform (RDP). This cloud-based platform is the first of its kind and has quickly become a valuable asset in longitudinal data collection for Peer-Based Services. Rutherford has a bachelor’s degree in psychology with a specialization in substance use disorders. He is a member of standing committees at the National Institutes of Health, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and other federal agencies. He serves on several nonprofit boards including Serve Minnesota, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers, Twin Cities Recovery Project, and Doc’s Recovery House.

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Teliea Baker

Teliea Baker, director of The Door Recovery Lodge in New Town, N.D. Baker is an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation and currently resides in New Town, where she has been the director of North Segment’s The Door Resource & Recovery Lodge since its opening in 2018. The Door is an addiction resource lodge that centers all paths of recovery, focusing on empowerment with peer support and cultural influence, a clean and sober environment for people in the community, and providing a variety of recovery meetings, mentorship and referrals to treatment resources. Baker’s ambition and focus came from her six-year battle with heroin and alcohol addiction and experience with the criminal justice system. Today, Baker shares her story to give hope that will motivate and encourage others affected by addiction. In 2019, she proudly accepted the Recovery Reinvented Zezula Award. She is a certified peer support specialist trainer, Wellbriety women’s mentor, women’s advocate and recovery builder. She has been on the path of recovery for nine years and continues the fight every day. Baker is currently an undergraduate student at Minot State University with a focus in addiction studies.

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