Compass Behavioral Health Care - Southern Arizona's leader in affordable substance abuse treatment

The Annual Red Road and Wellbriety Gathering is held to mark National Drug and Alcohol Addiction Recovery Month. People of all ages and cultures are invited to the event. The day begins with a “Strong and Sober” Fun Run/Walk and is followed by a resource fair and other activities; talking circles, Native American singers and drummers, 12 step and other types of recovery support groups.

According to Edward Grijalva, Coordinator of Special Populations Services at Compass Behavioral Health Care, “It’s important for all of us in the recovery community to join together and celebrate our recovery from addiction. We invite everyone-our families, friends and all people who want to learn about recovery to join us on this very special day.” Compass Behavioral Health Care, Tohono O’Odham Behavioral Health Services, People Wellness Center, Tucson Indian Center and Pima County Library have come together to create an event which should be meaningful to the Native American Communities across Pima County because they believe it is important work with all sectors of the community to support recovery and to help end underage drinking in any way they can.

For more information about the Red Road and Wellbriety Gathering, contact Cynthia Klein, (520) 628-3411 or cklein@compasshc.org

The concept of the “Red Road” to recovery and “Wellbriety” came about in the 1990's. White Bison, a non-profit organization offering healing resources to Native Americans, discovered that most Native people wanted to find sobriety and recovery from alcohol and drugs, and then go on to live lives of wellness and wholeness rooted both in their own tribal cultures and in the mainstream world. The sobriety movement began to transition into the Wellbriety Movement, which means to be both sober and well. In this way, Native American traditions and spiritual practices have become integrated with “western” sobriety practices to make the process of achieving long-term recovery more meaningful and aligned with the traditions of their culture.

During Recovery Month each September, communities across the country join together to help people recognize that substance use disorders are treatable diseases. Throughout September, events nationwide encourage communities, civic leaders, employers, treatment and prevention organizations, faith-based organizations, and the recovery community to address the continued need for treatment, overcome the barriers that prevent people from seeking help, and ensure access to local treatment facilities.