As we welcome October, I’m reminded of how much policy shapes the realities of recovery. The close of Florida’s 2025 legislative session brought meaningful progress, including new investments in crisis services, expanded oversight, and stronger pathways for recovery residences. Each of these changes reflects what we’ve long advocated: when systems recognize recovery as both urgent and possible, communities grow stronger.
But policy is only the beginning. The next step is to ensure that these laws are more than just text on a page; they must become lived experiences of safety, access, and hope. That’s where our coalition comes in. By working with businesses, nonprofits, and public leaders, we translate legislation into practice, ensuring that the 988 lifeline is not just a number but a trusted connection, that recovery residences are not just approved but fully embraced, and that peer specialists are not just certified but effectively integrated into real support networks.
Members throughout our systems, institutions, and governments will join us because most of us have been impacted by the overdose crisis and/or recovery. Leaders like Senator Darryl Rouson remind us that advocacy within the Capitol has ripple effects across neighborhoods, workplaces, and families. When policymakers and communities move together, change becomes possible.
October also brings growth within our own team. I’m delighted to welcome Stephen Pasquale, whose energy and expertise will help expand our reach and deepen our work. His arrival reflects what this coalition is built on: people willing to step forward, lend their talents, and invest in a future where recovery is not just protected but celebrated.
Recovery thrives where systems align with compassion and where leaders—whether in the Capitol, the workplace, or our neighborhoods—act with purpose. This month, I encourage each of you to see your role in that ecosystem. Every meeting, every workplace conversation, every shared resource is part of a collective effort to ensure that recovery is not rare—it is real, it is resilient, and it is ours to protect.
In partnership and purpose,
Jennifer Webb