For Immediate Release

Contact: Barbara Brown, (480) 767-7880

Drew Wathey, (602) 482-2738

 

 

BUILDING BRIDGES FROM PREVENTION TO RECOVERY

IS PRIMARY FOCUS AT THE 2007 ART OF RECOVERY EXPO

Official Sponsor Community Bridges of Mesa Has Impacted Over ½ Million Lives

 

            SCOTTSDALE, Arizona (July 11, 2007) –For many, battling addictive behaviors whether it be alcohol, drugs, gambling or eating disorders, life can quickly become a dark and bottomless hole that without help, can be difficult to climb out of.        The stigma that is often attached to these types of disorders is just one of many obstacles that millions face every day of their lives. But a beacon of hope will shine brightly in the Valley of the Sun on Saturday, September 29 as the 3rd annual Art of Recovery Expo will be held at the Phoenix Convention Center. “Our focus this year is to raise awareness on the effectiveness of treatment and the hope of recovery,” said Barbara Brown, Founder of the Art of Recovery Expo. “All too often, people don’t know where to turn to get help and this event provides so many valuable resources for individuals and their families who feel they are lost and hopeless. This is a wonderful opportunity for those in need to seek the help they so richly deserve.”

            The Art of Recovery Expo is free to the public and will be held in Hall E from 10am till 5pm.

            One of this year’s official sponsors at the Art of Recovery Expo will be Community Bridges of Mesa. With nearly 20 locations spread throughout the Phoenix metropolitan area, Community Bridges offers substance abuse treatment and recovery to homeless, indigent and working poor adults. They also provide substance abuse prevention, education, and training services to the public. As the sole state-funded provider of medical detoxification services to the homeless in Maricopa County, Community Bridges, over the past 20 years, has had a profound impact on well over ½ million people who

have utilized their services. “We started out in 1982 with a corp of volunteers in the East Valley and eventually grew to a community partnership with the Mesa United Way and from there expanded into a full-fledged community outreach program whereby we are helping thousands who want to rebuild their lives and become healthier individuals,” said Dr. Frank Scarpati, CEO of Community Bridges. “We are so looking forward to this year’s Art of Recovery Expo which is providing such a valuable service to the community.”

            Community Bridges will be among the more than 100 exhibitors and 5,000 attendees at this year’s Art of Recovery Expo.

            “Community Bridges is dedicated to providing outreach and education to the community at large. Our services reach the mainstream public through our education efforts and our clinical services provide quality treatment for substance use disorders for men and women,” added Scarpati. “Prevention is the key to combating substance abuse. We believe addiction is a disease that carries tremendous consequences for individuals, families, the workplace, and the community as a whole. The truth is that addiction is a chronic, relapsing, and treatable disease and I feel confident that with the recent advances we have made that we will find the reasons physiologically for the cause of addiction.”

            One of the newest programs at Community Bridges is Center of Hope, a facility where infants and mothers at risk are given medical, emotional, and social services for pregnant and postpartum women with a history of disorders. The project's primary goal is to reduce and eliminate the impact of drugs and alcohol on the developing fetus.

            The Center also provides a long-term safe and structured environment where pregnant women

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can begin to heal physically and psychologically and follow a behavior modification plan designed to

replace old damaging behavior with new and socially appropriate skills. “Many of these new mothers face a myriad of problems. Many have been victims of domestic violence or sexual abuse, lack employment skills and education, live in unsuitable housing or are homeless. Our Center of Hope provides a wellness avenue for these women as they begin their new journey in life,” said Dr. Scarpati.

            The Art of Recovery Expo will provide positive wellness solutions to individuals who are currently facing challenges whether they are drug or alcohol addiction, eating disorders, marriage or relationship problems, gambling addiction, among many others. Many exhibitors will be comprised of counselors, treatment facilities, out-patient clinics, family therapists and other prominent specialists from the Valley of the Sun. Additionally, workshops will be presented throughout the event covering numerous topics of interest.

The keynote speakers for the Expo are Rokelle Lerner and John Lee. Rokelle Lerner is a psychotherapist, international consultant & lecturer on women, relationships, families and chemical dependency and has appeared as a guest consultant on numerous television shows such as Oprah, Good Morning America, CBS Morning News and 20/20. John Lee, a best-selling author of fifteen books, has conducted private and group sessions on relationships and anger management for nineteen years. He’s consulted and trained with prestigious institutions, including The Betty Ford Clinic.

            For more information on the Art of Recovery Expo, visit www.artofrecoveryexpo.com or call (480) 767-7880.

 

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