People looking for addiction treatment in New Jersey will soon have a new event built around communities that recovery spaces often overlook.
On July 9, a first-of-its-kind conference in Holmdel will center LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled, and justice-impacted people in recovery.
The event is a reminder that recovery does not look the same for everyone, and that care works best when it fits a person’s life and identity.
A New Recovery Conference in Monmouth County
The WEAVE Recovery Conference runs from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on July 9 at Bell Works, 101 Crawfords Corner Road, in Holmdel, Monmouth County.
It is co-hosted by the New Jersey Coalition for Addiction Recovery Support (NJ-CARS) and Garden State Equality, the state’s largest LGBTQ+ civil rights organization.
WEAVE stands for “Wholeness Empowered through Action, Vision, and Equity.” Organizers describe it as the state’s first recovery conference centering LGBTQ+, BIPOC, disabled and justice-impacted voices.
It puts peer recovery specialists and people with lived experience at the center, while also welcoming clinicians, students and community partners.
A Garden State Equality organizer said the conference centers people with lived experience and recovery community leaders.
Why Culturally Responsive Recovery Matters
People from marginalized groups often face extra barriers to care: stigma, discrimination, cost, and providers who do not understand their experiences.
Those barriers can keep someone from asking for help or staying in addiction recovery. Culturally responsive recovery support means care that respects a person’s identity and background.
That can build trust and keep people engaged. Peer recovery specialists, who have their own recovery experience, are a big part of this approach, because they can relate to what someone is going through.
Knowing When It Is Time to Get Help
Addiction can affect anyone, and the signs are similar across communities. Common signs of a substance use problem include using more or longer than planned, strong cravings trouble cutting back, needing more of a substance to feel the same effect, problems at work or home, and withdrawal symptoms when not using.
If any of that sounds familiar for you or someone you care about, local addiction treatment options can help, from outpatient programs to residential care.
Finding Addiction Treatment in New Jersey
Addictions.com lists verified treatment centers in New Jersey and across the country. You can search addiction treatment centers by city, level of care and insurance accepted.
Look for programs that name the populations they serve if identity-affirming care is important to you. You can call
800-681-1058
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