Moving Up

From Gerald Butler:

9/3/07

As most of you know as of August 15^th the Center for Medicaid issued a letter providing guidance and support to States in utilizing ‘Peer Support’. CMS is merely reinforcing something we have known since its inception: Peer Support works!! What is really cool is that Michigan is in a leadership position in this incredible, worldwide movement. Adding to this is the progress Michigan has made in the areas of Person Centered Planning, WRAP, and Integrated Dual Diagnosis, I feel that we at the forefront of ‘System Transformation’ nationally. In fact I recently received an e mail from someone in Alaska asking about Person Centered Planning in Michigan.

Governor Granholm and Janet Olszewski both believe in our ability to recover and are not only talking the talk but also walking the walk. The Michigan Department of Community Health, the Michigan Association of Community Mental Health Boards, Community Mental Health Services, Mental Health and Substance Abuse, C. M. H’s across the State, are just some of the folks fighting on our behalf, assuring that recovery is ours for the taking. I see it like this: ‘If all these folks believe in me, I owe it to myself and my brothers and sisters to do my best in recovery’. This requires I have something no one else can give me: I must accept the fact that no matter how much another person believes in me, I must believe in myself or both our efforts are for naught.

The Recovery band has been playing a lot of gigs in the community, and the responses have been huge! It’s a good feeling to be carrying the message of recovery into the community at large. The more we move around the community, the more folks are asking us about our origin, and we love talking about Peer Support. We have been meeting people and organizations in the community willing to help us, they just need to know that we can and we do recover. In our own small way we are addressing stigma, as we have seen people completely change their image of us by the end of the show. Personally, I hope that any time there is a seminar, conference, or training, that some person or group prominent in the community be asked to attend. It seems, the more the community knows about recovery, the less stigma there is.

I have always expounded on the dangers of going into dark places, yet with the letter I wrote a few weeks ago I did that same thing. Although Joel and I are friends again, I did damage to myself, some of which I will never recovery from. I lost a lot friends and respect because of my actions. Some of which I will get back, some never. The thing that has probably affected me the most was the amount of self respect I lost. So from now on when I say don’t do what I did, it has to do with my experiences. I wanted to be an example for consumers to emulate, however, if consumers wish to use me as an example of what not to do, that is good too. We are in the midst of historic transformation in the entire system of treatment and Michigan is leading the charge. I certainly hope to continue to be an integral part.

So as we move forward let us all keep in mind the importance of our individual contribution and keep in mind the words of Governor Granholm, ‘We are in this Together’.

Gerald Butler

The recovery band will be providing the music in a Public Service Announcement for Arise Detroit.