The Coalition, a statewide group of 40 organizations and their members advocating in partnership to meet the needs of North Carolinians living with mental illness, developmental disabilities, or the disease of addiction, has announced that RecoveryNC, North Carolina’s leading campaign for people in recovery from drug and alcohol addiction, will host a candlelight vigil on April 30th at 7:00 pm on Halifax Mall, directly behind the Legislative Office Building in Raleigh.

The vigil is being co-hosted by the Alcohol Drug Council of North Carolina, UNC Behavioral Health Resource Program, and the Governor’s Institute on Substance Abuse. The goal of the vigil is to bring attention to the hundreds of thousands of North Carolina citizens who need addiction treatment and do not have access to the services they require.

Organizers of the event hope that during the state’s intense budget negotiations, decision-makers in Raleigh will keep in mind that lack of access to addiction treatment not only affects public health, it also impacts the safety of our communities. Research shows that admissions to treatment programs are associated with reduction in crime rates.

Across North Carolina, individuals with substance abuse related issues are ending up in our courtrooms and jails. The cost of servicing our citizens in these environments, instead of adequately funded treatment facilities is a cost North Carolina can’t afford—especially right now. A Washington State Institute on Public Policy study concluded that substance abuse treatment is more cost-effective than prison or other punitive measures.

“Every year, 650,000 citizens in our state suffering from the disease of addiction go without treatment and recovery services”, said Donna Cotter, Director of RecoveryNC. “Our elected officials need to understand this crisis and hear from this community-- that’s why we are gathering in their backyard.”

RecoveryNC is encouraging individuals in recovery, as well as their friends and family to be a part of this landmark event. Candles will be available on site for a donation of $2.00 each. Group sponsorships are available for a tax deductible donation starting at $50.00.

For more information about the event, please visit www.recoverync.org or call 919-802-7972. For more information on The Coalition, visit www.thecoalitionnc.org.