DRUG AND ALCOHOL RECOVERY PROGRAMS AVAILABLE IN MARIN

FACT: 84 percent of 11th-graders in Marin County report that alcohol and
marijuana are easy to obtain.

Fact: 80 percent of arrests in Marin County are alcohol and/or drug related.

Fact: There is hope through recovery programs.

September is National Recovery Month, and the Marin County Advisory Board
on Alcohol and Other Drug Problems wants to let everyone know that there
are numerous services available for those afflicted by addictive diseases.

The advisory board and community organizations have teamed up to host
"Recover Your Life" on Saturday at the Corte Madera Community Center from
noon to 5 p.m. There will be live entertainment, speakers, including
Assemblyman Joe Nation, and even an area set aside for children to
encourage families to come out and celebrate the recovery process.

"I will be there to embrace those people who work every single day to stay
in recovery," said D.J. Pierce, chief of the Marin County Division of
Alcohol, Drug & Tobacco Programs. "It's a stigmatized disease, and it is a
disease. For me it's very honorable to be in recovery."

Pierce's participation in Saturday's event is both professional and
personal. She has been in recovery for 19 years and has family members
battling their own addictions. Pierce points out that when one family
member struggles with addictions, the entire family is affected.

"The impact goes through the whole family," Pierce said. "The family
suffers so much. Some of the consequences are economic, the children and
interpersonal relationships.

"It's like the elephant in the living room," Pierce added. "Families keep
it hidden. When someone is in recovery, the family members have to change
with them."

One glaring ramification of alcohol and/or drug abuse is lawlessness,
including driving while impaired, physical abuse to loved ones or anyone
else in an addict's way, and theft or robbery to support habits. San Rafael
Police Department Officer Joel Fay, who will be speaking on Saturday along
with Pierce, believes the uniform can make a difference.

"Our job is to make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard," Fay
says. "When I'm arresting somebody I always ask if you would like to do
something different. I think that sometimes people who are struggling lose
hope that they can recover."

Fay, a mental health liaison, is frequently called on when problems arise
with the county's homeless population. The STAR program - support and
treatment after release - has emerged as an effective way to get the
homeless off the street for good.

"I wear a uniform," Fay said. "I want people to know that this is the
police department that is making an effort.

"We contact people when they are at their worst. We get the opportunity to
come in and make a difference. I hope people see us as an ally."

Both Fay and Pierce firmly believe Marin outreach programs and treatment
agencies are making a difference. The scope of Saturday's event is just one
indication. A similar event was staged last year in Novato, drawing a small
but appreciative crowd of 100. Organizers expect more than 1,000 to show up
this year, with most Marin agencies and programs expected to be on hand to
provide literature or support to anyone concerned about addictions.

"I'm honored to be included," Fay said. "Sometimes you need to laugh or
smile. It provides hope for other families."

It's ironic that Saturday's event is billed as a community party when many
county gatherings actually encourage the use of alcohol. Pierce knows
firsthand that you don't need to drink or drug to party.

"I hope people come and have a great time," Pierce said. "I get to go and
celebrate and bring my family."