Our Strategic Plan for 2018-2021

Today, Live4Lali announced its enhanced approach for 2018-2021 to address the addiction and overdose crisis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2016, 63,600 Americans died from all drugs, including non-opioids. This is an increase of 21% from 2015. 174 people die daily from an overdose. With an increased focus on data-driven approaches, decreasing deaths, and providing links to quality, affordable, ethical, and individualized treatment and recovery services, Live4Lali has altered its 4-point model.

 Live4Lali’s approach incorporates:

•     Education: Enhance knowledge among the general public and people impacted that is focused on opening minds, saving lives, and healing hearts.
•     Peer-to-Peer Support: Grow our proximity to individuals and families by offering programs that increase social support, enhance resilience and strengthen positive health and behavioral change.
•     Harm Reduction: Promote healthy, common sense strategies, including overdose and substance-related illness prevention, among people with a substance use disorder, their loved ones, and their communities.
•     Advocacy: Influence the public and private sectors to promote drug policy reform, support treatment and recovery, and harm reduction by amplifying the needs, voices, and experiences of impacted individuals and families.

“When we talk about the opioid crisis across the state of Illinois, people are dumbfounded by the destruction. This overwhelming sense of numbness is due to a combination of hopelessness, frustration, anger, and sadness,” said Chelsea Laliberte, Executive Director and Cofounder of Live4Lali. “At Live4Lali, we are astonished by the lack of data-driven responses to this public health crisis. We have known for a long time what needs to occur, but there is limited, unhurried action due to stigma and a dependency on belief-focused tactics instead of science-focused solutions. We will continue to do what we can to match the need, guided by the available evidence. We cannot wait.”

Live4Lali’s approach aims to ensure that the growing number of Illinoisans impacted by addiction are receiving the compassion, education, and resources they require. It also includes fighting for justice, dignity, and quality, long-term treatment. Former strategies dedicated to primary prevention activities will be restructured to focus our efforts on building and maintaining relationships with substance users and their families, and helping them access the care they need and deserve. A special emphasis will be placed on promoting the development of science-backed education and tools across municipalities and counties, to encourage programming implementation and culture shifts. For communities requesting youth and parent education and other primary prevention services, we will refer them to local groups providing practical, data-driven, safety-focused messaging and guidance.

“I thought I was well and only my daughter was sick. Boy was I wrong. Live4Lali allowed me to share my story with others who understood what I was going through. Family and friends are wonderful, but they don’t always get it,” said Jody Whalen, mother of Sam, who is currently in remission from Opioid Use Disorder. “When my daughter was in treatment she called me and said she wanted to use. I was devastated and stopped by Live4Lali’s Community Resource Center before going to see her, and the team helped me understand that this was a positive move on my daughter’s part. They helped me to praise her for the behavior change. Had they not, I would have handled the situation very differently. Sam has been in remission from opioid use disorder for almost a year. She tells me that I have changed in how I speak to her. I owe this to Live4Lali.”

Click the button below to view the entire Strategic Plan.

Strategic Plan 2018-2021

Categorised in: Strategic Plan

This post was written by live4lali