Our Mission Statement
Our mission is to end the stigma of drug addiction and to provide awareness
of addiction as a disease, focusing on treatment, not punishment.
The Matt’s Mission Vision
Individuals suffering from substance use disorders will be treated as patients of the healthcare system, not criminals. They will receive the treatment they desperately need and deserve without shame, stigma or judgment.
ABOUT MATT’S MISSION
Matt’s Mission is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization. The growing epidemic of addiction is no secret and it is time to start making some changes. Matt’s Mission is not only a tribute to Matthew P. Barrett, our loved one, but also in memory of all who lost their lives to addiction.
We seek to connect individuals battling an addiction to medical care, treatment, and services without shame, blame or arrest. It is an effort to help end the stigma of drug addiction and to raise awareness of addiction as a disease focusing on treatment, not punishment.
All our members are volunteers and committed to ending the stigma associated with addiction, providing education on substance use disorders, and assisting individuals on their road to recovery. Our current attitude, our current way of dealing with this issue is obviously not working in light of the rising drug-related deaths.
The importance of taking a compassionate, community based approach to the current drug addiction crisis can’t be overstated. Evidence and data show that taking a punitive approach to drug addiction does not result in a reduction in addiction rates, while proving to come at a higher cost than offering treatment services for substance use disorders. Addiction is a real disease, not a bad choice and it cannot be corrected through jail time. Our focus needs to turn to rehabilitation and accessible treatment.
Together we can support individuals suffering from a disease back to health, being productive citizens and reunited with their families. The time has come for us to change our strategy and our way of thinking when it comes to how we as a society treat individuals with substance use disorders. Let’s change the conversation from arrest and incarceration to outreach, treatment and prevention.
“Every time you are tempted to react in the same old way, ask if you want to be
a prisoner of the past, or a pioneer of the future.“ – Deepak Chopra