Through rich and poignant stories and critical analysis of policy, this book sheds light on what it is like, and how it feels, to manage substance use while simultaneously on welfare.

Substances, Welfare, and Social Relations uses intimate, complex portraits to tell the stories of people who have lived some part of their life course while using or recovering from using substances (such as alcohol or illicit or prescription drugs) and also being part of a family and experiencing poverties. Through these multifaceted stories, layered with a critical analysis of welfare policy, the book probes the deeply entrenched stigma of living with addiction and in low income. Amber Gazso’s work revolves around the three-principles idea that (1) addiction is part of everyday life; (2) if we believe that people are not their addictions, then stigmatizing addiction has no place in society; and (3) destigmatizing addiction and providing better, more imaginative programs and services invites and supports actionable hope. Reflecting on qualitative data, both narrative interviews and policy discourse, Substances, Welfare, and Social Relations illuminates how stigmas can be overturned through a collective praxis of hope.

Focusing on the needs of children of substance misusing parents and the dilemmas faced by professionals working with them, this comprehensive book brings together for the first time theoretical and practice issues for all those involved with the crossover between responses to drug and alcohol problems and child welfare. Describing the effects of substance misuse on `good enough' parenting and attachment (and taking into account theories about substance use), the authors analyse the issues facing children, including the impact on psychological and emotional development. Emphasising the importance of developing holistic approaches, involving both child care and drug and alcohol agencies as well as families, this book presents a practical model for risk assessment and intervention that balances the 'competing' needs of parents and their children. It is an essential resource for all those working or training to work in the fields of child welfare, substance misuse, health, education and criminal justice.

Mission traces a life of politics, ideas and inspiring words. Whether he is recalling his boyhood in Hope Vale, Queensland, making the case for Indigenous recognition, or evoking a reconciled, multicultural Australia, Noel Pearson confirms he is one of Australia’s most powerful and influential thinkers – and an extraordinary writer. Mission selects the best of Pearson’s work to date. There are indelible portraits of political leaders seen close up – Keating, Rudd, Whitlam, Turnbull and more. There is Pearson’s brilliant exploration of a Voice to Parliament, which led eventually to the Uluru Statement from the Heart. And there are acute analyses – of passive welfare; of the fate of the Labor Party; of identity politics, good and bad; and of education and the role of a great teacher. The volume also contains a remarkable new extended title essay, in which Pearson reflects on his life and work so far. Mission is honest, provocative and utterly original. Noel Pearson is a lawyer, activist and founder of the Cape York Institute. He is author of Up From the Mission, Our Right to Take Responsibility, Mission, two Quarterly Essays and many essays, articles and speeches.

Estimates indicate that as many as 1 in 4 Americans will experience a mental health problem or will misuse alcohol or drugs in their lifetimes. These disorders are among the most highly stigmatized health conditions in the United States, and they remain barriers to full participation in society in areas as basic as education, housing, and employment. Improving the lives of people with mental health and substance abuse disorders has been a priority in the United States for more than 50 years. The Community Mental Health Act of 1963 is considered a major turning point in America's efforts to improve behavioral healthcare. It ushered in an era of optimism and hope and laid the groundwork for the consumer movement and new models of recovery. The consumer movement gave voice to people with mental and substance use disorders and brought their perspectives and experience into national discussions about mental health. However over the same 50-year period, positive change in American public attitudes and beliefs about mental and substance use disorders has lagged behind these advances. Stigma is a complex social phenomenon based on a relationship between an attribute and a stereotype that assigns undesirable labels, qualities, and behaviors to a person with that attribute. Labeled individuals are then socially devalued, which leads to inequality and discrimination. This report contributes to national efforts to understand and change attitudes, beliefs and behaviors that can lead to stigma and discrimination. Changing stigma in a lasting way will require coordinated efforts, which are based on the best possible evidence, supported at the national level with multiyear funding, and planned and implemented by an effective coalition of representative stakeholders. Ending Discrimination Against People with Mental and Substance Use Disorders: The Evidence for Stigma Change explores stigma and discrimination faced by individuals with mental or substance use disorders and recommends effective strategies for reducing stigma and encouraging people to seek treatment and other supportive services. It offers a set of conclusions and recommendations about successful stigma change strategies and the research needed to inform and evaluate these efforts in the United States.