1. The Common Ground: Alcoholism, Addiction and Disability John de Miranda, Executive Director, National Association on Alcohol, Drugs and Disability

2. Common Ground  The disability rights movement  The modern alcohol and drug problems movement  The condition or social “problem”

3. Common Ground-the social movements  Both conditions share negative and moralistic historical overtones  Both movements sought to create new service paradigms

4. Common Ground-the social movements  Both the disability rights and modern addiction treatment movement owe their success to the vision and efforts of grassroots activists and advocates  Both movements draw heavily from self-help principles

5. Common Ground - the conditions  Both “problems” focus on the reciprocal relationship between the individual and the challenges of the environment  Both share medical (rehabilitation) and social model conceptualizations

6. Common Ground - the conditions  Both conditions share similar existential features  Both conditions share elements of spiritual regeneration and rebirth

7. Common Ground-the conditions  Both conditions can be analyzed as social constructions  Both conditions struggle with an ambivalent public perception

8. Addiction Definition Addiction is viewed as being centered in the reciprocal relationship between the individual and their surrounding social unit, rather than centered in the individual only. Therefore, alcohol and drug problems are not only individual problems, but problems of families, communities and society,

9. Disability Definition Disability is the expression of a physical or mental limitation in a social context ▬ the gap between a person’s capabilities and the demands of the environment.

10. Quandaries  Is addiction a “real” disability?  Is addiction a disease?  Is there a distinction between active use and “recovery” status?  How does the traditional disability community view addiction?  How does addiction status interact with disability status?