A Conversation with Dan Cartwright, Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award

Since our founding in 1946, The Council has been able to continue and expand upon our mission because of the incredible individuals who have stepped up and supported us. For three decades, Daniel S. Cartwright has been one of those individuals. Dan began serving The Council as a volunteer shortly after starting his recovery journey, and throughout the years, he has become one of our most committed and generous leaders. He served on various Council boards for more than a decade, including serving as Chairman of the Board of Trustees, before joining our Honorary Lifetime Board in 2008.

Among his many contributions, Dan served on the steering committee for The Council’s Restoring Hope, Rebuilding Lives capital campaign, which raised $11 million for the construction of our beautiful campus. He received The Council’s Jay Waggoner Service Award in 2005 and is also a devoted supporter of our annual Holiday Party, which delivers gifts and seasonal cheer to families in a safe, sober environment. He is a steadfast supporter of our Speaker Series luncheons, and through his influence, has helped open the door to recovery for an untold number of lives.

For his unwavering support of The Council and Houston’s recovery community, Dan will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award at The Council’s 2023 Fall Luncheon with Craig Ferguson. We sat down with Dan to talk about his recovery journey and relationship with The Council.

Dan Cartwright with Lauren Anderson at The Council's 2022 Fall Luncheon.
Dan Cartwright with keynote speaker Lauren Anderson at The Council’s 2022 Fall Luncheon.

Tell us how you first got involved with The Council.

After I first went through the steps, my sponsor suggested that I get involved on several different levels in recovery, and that I be of service to the community in some way. I asked around, and several people mentioned The Council. I went over there, sat and talked with the director, and I liked what they were doing.

What about our work initially drew you in?

The director shared their vision on how they wanted to grow The Council and reach not hundreds, but thousands of people. At that time, there weren’t a lot of organizations in the community doing what The Council was doing. I’m one of those people who likes challenges, so to be of service at a very grassroots level and to help expand The Council’s work resonated with me.

What do you think the biggest change in the landscape of addiction treatment has been since you’ve been involved with The Council?

There have been more and more opportunities for The Council to be of service, for instance, getting involved in the court system. And to have these other programs, like for ladies that are pregnant and want to get sober, I think is just an amazing development. Thirty years ago, there was no such thing. There’s also been a considerable reduction in the stigma associated with addiction. There is hardly a family that isn’t affected in one way or another by addiction, depression, and other disorders.

What message you would share with people who are actively affected by addiction currently?

I always ask people three questions: Do you think you have a drinking problem? Are you ready to do something about it? And if they say yes to that, I say, are you ready to do something about it right now? If so, let’s get you to a treatment center. Our best thinking got us here, so your thinking’s just not working anymore, and there is a better way.

Is there anything else you want to share with us about your time in recovery and with The Council?

The old saying is, “To keep it, you’ve got to give it away.” I’ve given it away through The Council and other recovery efforts, and I get back tenfold. It is a spiritual journey, and it’s hard to explain that. It makes people recoil sometimes when you talk about God, but it’s God of their making. It’s not necessarily a religious explanation. And if a person is defeated by alcohol, there is a better way.

Help us honor and celebrate Dan’s lifetime of service by reserving your spot at The Council’s 2023 Fall Luncheon with Craig Ferguson.

How we’re combatting the opioid overdose crisis

The Council is troubled by the alarming spike in drug overdoses, which is now the leading cause of unintentional death in the United States. After a number of recent losses close to home, we wanted to provide an update on our efforts to combat this crisis in our community.

What we know.

Since 2020, the highest number of opioid overdose deaths in Texas occurred in Harris County. The threat of fentanyl is worsening this crisis. Fentanyl is an opioid that is 50 times stronger than heroin and is often mixed with other substances and counterfeit pills. This means that when people use drugs without a prescription like Adderall and Xanax, they are at risk of fentanyl poisoning and overdose.  As few as two milligrams of fentanyl can be fatal. The Center for Disease Control found that about 66 percent of opioid-related deaths in Texas involve synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl.

How we help.

  1. We provide integrated outpatient treatment for anyone impacted by any substance use disorder, including opioids. If we cannot help someone here, we work with individuals and families to identify and connect them with services that are right for their needs. Finally, we provide ongoing support for those further along in their recovery from opioid abuse.
  2. : We distribute Narcan, a life-saving medication that rapidly reverses the effects of an opioid overdose. We have also trained more than 4,500 people in Narcan administration in homes and communities across Houston, including healthcare professionals, law enforcement, educators, public park officials, and more. Additionally, all clients receive overdose prevention education.
  3. In 2022,The Council and Prevention Resource Center – Region 6 (PRC 6) collaborated with Houston High-Intensity Drug Trafficking Area on a billboard campaign to promote awareness of the dangers of fentanyl. This “One Pill Can Kill” campaign strategically placed eight billboards across the greater Houston area and garnered an estimated 14,000,000 impressions. The Council and PRC 6 also hosted the 2022 Houston Virtual Fentanyl Summit, as well as the Family Summit on the Overdose/Poisoning Epidemic, both of which attracted hundreds of attendees to address this public health emergency.
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What’s next?

The Texas legislature passed Senate Bill 629, which requires all public and private schools to adopt and implement a policy regarding the maintenance, administration, and disposal of opioid antagonists such as Narcan at every campus. It also passed House Bill 3908, which requires each public school district to provide annual instruction on fentanyl abuse prevention to students in grades 6 through 12. The Council is Houston’s go-to resource for local schools to develop and implement these new policies and procedures around Narcan availability and administration, as well as substance abuse awareness and education.

We will continue to explore new ways to effectively address this crisis through our own programs and services as well as through innovative partnerships with organizations and institutions across the city and state. If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, or may be at risk of opioid overdose, call us today at (713) 914-0556, or contact us online.

Comedian Craig Ferguson to Serve as Keynote Speaker at The Council’s 2023 Fall Luncheon

The Council on Recovery is excited to announce that award-winning comedian and host of the Late Late show Craig Ferguson will serve as keynote speaker at our 2023 Fall Luncheon on Friday, October 13, 2023 at the Hilton Americas – Houston Hotel!

Craig Ferguson is a multiple Grammy-nominated, Peabody and Emmy Award-winning actor, writer, producer, director, and comedian with a diverse career that encompasses film, television, and the stage. He hosted the wildly popular Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson, which ran for ten years on CBS and remains a cult favorite.

Craig Ferguson

He achieved notable success on the North American comedy circuit and has performed to sold-out theaters all across the country, including Carnegie Hall and Radio City Music Hall. Craig has recorded five widely acclaimed stand-up comedy specials for Netflix, Comedy Central, Epix and Amazon. He is also a New York Times bestselling author and published his most recent book, Riding the Elephant, in 2019.

Ashley and Steve Birdwell, and Walt and Edith Parmer will serve as event co-chairs. As a non-profit organization, gifts from our Speaker Series events make our services accessible to those who may otherwise not be able to receive them. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, The Council can deliver best-in-class education, treatment, and recovery support to all families, with the promise that we turn no one away.

Visit our Speaker Series website to learn more or reserve your table today.

Providing Pathways to Stability and Success with Navigation Services

Our Community Navigators are helping clients access the services they need to achieve their personal goals.

For more than 75 years, The Council on Recovery has served as the place to start for anyone impacted by addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders. We understand that we alone cannot prevent and treat substance use disorders, and have worked to form strategic partnerships with treatment centers, hospitals, schools, and other community services to progress our mission. The Council is proud to now officially provide Navigation services, in collaboration with United Way of Greater Houston, to help people navigate this network of resources and access the services they need to begin and sustain a life in recovery.

When someone is struggling with substance use disorders and potentially related issues like financial hardship, unemployment, lack of transportation, and homelessness, the road to stability can be long and confusing. For some, barriers such as shame and stigma, cost, lack of insurance, and simply being unaware of the resources available to our community can make stability seem impossible. Our navigators can help clients break through these barriers.

 United Way Community Navigators are coaches and personal guides who work one-on-one with individuals and families, helping them create their own personalized journey to financial stability and access services along the way. Community Navigators make important connections and referrals to services and help address potential obstacles.

Navigation services

Our Community Navigators are already changing lives.

When Rossana Ishee, MSW, LCDC-I, CHW, reached out to one of the clients participating in our Discovering Choices outpatient treatment program, he immediately expressed interest in our Navigation Services. In addition to client-centered coaching, Rossana was able to provide him bus passes, referrals to other agencies such as credit unions and health care, and teach SMART goal setting and evidence-based breathing techniques.

This client has not only successfully graduated from Discovering Choices, but is strong in his sobriety. He has also since received HVAC certification training, is employed full-time, attends classes at Houston Community College, and is working on his goal to get his own transportation!

To learn more about United Way Community Navigators, click here. If you or someone you love is impacted by addiction or another mental health disorder, or is in recovery and might benefit from Navigation Services, contact us today.

“Full House” star Jodie Sweetin Helps The Council on Recovery to Raise More Than $460,000

Star of the hugely popular 90’s sitcom “Full House” Jodie Sweetin inspired a crowd of more than 800 Houstonians at The Council on Recovery’s 38th Annual Spring Luncheon on Friday, April 21, 2023. Co-chaired by Kim and Kevin Boone and Matthew and Meredith Goldsby, the event raised more than $460,000 to help individuals and families impacted by substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.

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Board of Trustees Chair Amanda Polich opened the luncheon with a warm welcome and highlighted the Speaker Series’ legacy of education and awareness. Reverend Cindy Cline of Unity Church provided the invocation. Polich returned to bestow the Community Champion Award to the Halliburton Charitable Foundation, which has given nearly half a million dollars in support of our services for children and youth through their annual golf tournament and employee matching gifts.

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Board of Trustees Chair Amanda Polich
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Reverend Cindy Cline

The Council’s President & CEO, Mary H. Beck, LMSW, CAI, highlighted the direction and future of The Council, and emphasized the need to normalize conversations on substance use and mental health at home, in schools, workplaces, and beyond.

“Recovery shouldn’t have to be hidden,” she said. “It should be ok for people to ask for help when they are struggling with substances. It should be ok to ask for help at school. It should be ok to ask for help at work. It should be ok to ask for help from your doctor or clergy. It should be ok to ask for help from your family.”

Luncheon Co-Chairs Kim Boone and Matthew Goldsby followed with moving testimonials on how addiction has impacted their own lives.

“As a parent of 2 middle school-aged girls, I am acutely aware of the pressures my kids will face that can too easily lead them to a pathway of substance abuse,” said Boone. “And that’s a huge part of why I am so passionate about my work with The Council. I want to ensure that my kids are armed with the right information and tools to make good decisions in the face of adversity.”

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Mary H. Beck, LMSW, CAI
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Kim Boone and Matthew Goldsby

Keynote Speaker Jodie Sweetin then took the stage in an entertaining, thoughtful, and inspiring conversation with Dr. Sean Fitzpatrick, Executive Director of The Jung Center of Houston. They discussed her adoption and upbringing, acting career in “Full House,” and the years of struggle and recovery that followed.

Sweetin stressed the importance of prevention and education efforts for young people in her address, saying, “I’m so grateful that my daughters live in a time when conversations around addiction and mental health are easier to have.” She also praised the work of The Council, saying, “An important thing that The Council does is work with teens and their parents to address the family system.”

In her closing remarks, Sweetin said, “If you’re here today and you’re struggling, please know that it will change, and you can ask for help. It will be okay.”

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Dr. Sean Fitzpatrick and Jodie Sweetin

How We Are Helping Address Texas’ Shortage of Mental Health Professionals

Texas is facing a worsening shortage of mental health care professionals, including licensed social workers, therapists, psychologists, and psychiatrists.

Now, 98% of Texas’ 254 counties are wholly or partially designated by the federal government as mental health professional shortage areas. While the number of mental health professionals state-wide slightly increased last year, it does not make up for the number of people leaving the profession due to financial and emotional strains. The state also faces a dwindling number of providers who will train individuals working toward the licensures that are required for practicing mental health care, which will only worsen the shortage.

This workforce shortage is a crisis that is already compounding another crisis.

Texas ranks last in access to children’s mental health services, and 33rd for adult behavioral healthcare, according to Mental Health America. To make matters worse, the demand for mental health care has increased since the COVID-19 pandemic began, as substance use disorders, anxiety disorders, depression, and related mental health conditions increase at alarming rates. If we do not address this workforce shortage immediately, Texans will continue to struggle with long-term and potentially life-threatening mental health conditions.

Workforce shortage

How does The Council help address this crisis?

Our priority is to get people impacted by substance abuse the help they need, whether that’s at The Council or elsewhere.The shortage of available mental health professionals is now one of the biggest barriers keeping them from getting help. Here are three ways The Council is working to diminish that barrier:

  1. We train mental health professionals. The Council offers multi-disciplinary training for undergraduate, graduate, and post-graduate interns seeking licensure-hour fulfillment. Our Mary Bell Behavioral Health Clinical Fellowship has been a pillar in our efforts to train the next generation of clinical behavioral health professionals for more than a decade. We also provide continuing education workshops for licensed professionals employed at The Council and across Houston. Through these, we hope to retain skilled and compassionate professionals to help effectively address Texas’ mental health crisis.
  2. We train other professionals. Since its inception, The Council’s Center for Co-Occurring Disorders and community education efforts has trained hundreds of medical and public health professionals to recognize the signs and symptoms of substance use and co-occurring mental health disorders and recommend appropriate courses of action.
  3. We partner with organizations to recruit new professionals. We’re working with the Network of Behavioral Health Providers to reach a behavioral health workforce that can serve diverse communities by supporting their recruitment and advocacy initiatives across the Greater Houston area.