Washington focuses on rural recovery efforts

Lisa Bright, left, of the Will Bright Foundation is pictured with Dr. Monty Burks, director of the Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, during an April 9 meeting of the Association of Christian Recovery Ministries at Restoration Springs in Fayette.

Representatives from Christian recovery centers, rehabilitation programs and ministries, many from across Alabama, gathered in Fayette on April 9 for a meeting of the Association of Christian Recovery Ministries at Restoration Springs. While the group itself was largely regional, the message carried national significance. Among those speakers was Fayette Mayor Rod Northam, who reflected on the community’s evolving understanding of addiction and recovery, and Dr. Monty Burks, director of the Center for Faith at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, who outlined a nationwide initiative aimed at strengthening faith-based responses to addiction and mental health challenges.