ATTN: Individuals who are in recovery from the disease of addiction, especially toOpioids(Heroin, OxyContin, Percocet, etc.) or Family Members of a person in recovery from the disease of addiction to opioids (Heroin, OxyContin, Percocet).

The Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (BSAS) at the Department of Public Health will be running a media campaign to shed light on addiction-related stigma, and how it impacts the path into treatment and recovery. Stigma is defined as a mark of disgrace that sets a person apart. When a person is labelled by their illness they are seen as part of a stereotyped group. Negative attitudes create prejudice which leads to negative actions and discrimination.

Our particular focus is on stigma of people addicted to opioids, including prescription painkillers and/or heroin. This campaign is aimed at people in recovery, people who are ready to seek treatment, families of those individuals, and the general public.We want to convey the message that addiction is a disease, not a choice. We also want people to know what stigma looks like, how it can be damaging to someone who is struggling with the disease of addiction, and what we (the community) can do about it.

To give a face to people in recovery, we are looking for individuals, families, or caregiverswho would be comfortablepublicly sharing their recovery stories. The campaign will not focus on how people became addicted to opioids; it will focus on the stigma they’ve faced throughout their addiction, treatment, and recovery process. We are looking to present a variety of stories from a diverse group of people across the Commonwealth – we want to make sure that we represent different stories and a range of perspectives. If you are a person who has been in recovery for at least three (3) years, or a family member of someone in recovery, and is willing to share your story publicly, we would like to hear from you. Please understand that you could be asked to share your story in various formats, which may include:

  • Photographs of individuals on billboards on major highways or within communities, transit advertisements on buses, the T, commuter rail, posters,or social media
  • TV and/or Online Videos distributed via social media
  • Some individuals may be asked to speak at a press conference or other statewide events

The photography and video production will take place during daytime hours. People who are selected to appear in the paid media campaign will be compensated for their time.

You will be asked to sign a release form granting the Massachusetts Department of Public Health the right to use your image and your video story in any or all media. Once selected, we will explainin more detail how or whereyour likeness will appear in the campaign.

If you are interested in participating and are willing to become one of the faces of this campaign, please contact Judi Haber @ 617.558.6850 or email her at . Judi will call you to conduct an initial interview and share more details of the media campaign.

Please note: We are working under a very tight deadline. If you are interested in taking part, please contact us immediately.

We look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for considering our request.

Sincerely,

The MORE Advertising Team on behalf of the MA Department of Public Health