This Nevada recovery advocate credits her boyfriend, Nicholas, with igniting her passion to help others in or seeking recovery from Substance Use Disorder (SUD). Sadly, Nicholas passed away from an overdose after a recurrence of drug use, and Ana Maria Hernandez remembers his indelible impact as she navigates the Nevada SUD recovery landscape.
“I really started learning about recovery from substance use from my boyfriend, who had years in recovery,” she remembers. “He shattered all my preconceived images of a person who struggled with substance use. Meeting him really challenged all of these very wrong perceptions.”
Ana is currently a field director for Recovery Advocacy Project (RAP). A few years ago, she moved across the country to work on Pete Buttigieg’s presidential campaign; there Ana serendipitously met Sean O’Donnell, Executive Director of Foundation For Recovery, at an overdose awareness event she stumbled across while lost. Now, Ana is an integral part of RAP and is responsible for – among other things – working with Nevada Recovery PAC to endorse and campaign for candidates for elected offices, amplifying voices that support recovery-informed initiatives, and mobilizing Nevadans to create recovery solutions for all.
A 2018 survey completed by the Nevada Recovery PAC and Recovery Advocacy Project provided some eye-opening results:
- 42% of people would vote for a candidate not of their own party if they supported recovery
- 72% of voters agree that people in recovery are of value to their families and community
- 72% of voters agree that stigma has an important impact on individuals in recovery
- 62% would support ballot initiatives or legislation that increase access to recovery
- 83% of voters believe it is important to have access to various ways to recover
Part of Ana’s job is to amplify the voices and votes of people in or supportive of recovery, and also do everything she can to put recovery-friendly politicians and judges in government seats. And it is needed now more than ever. According to the The Las Vegas Review Journal, overdoses in Nevada are on a meteoric rise over the past few years. Most of the drug-related deaths occurred in Clark County which is home to Nevada’s most populated city, Las Vegas. Clark County dwarfs the population of other counties, and many people are spread out throughout the state with limited or no connection and support. Nevada also has one of the fastest population growth rates in the country, and every person in Nevada should have equitable access to recovery support.
“About 90% of the population lives in the Las Vegas area, and then 8% lives in the Carson City/Reno area, and 2% of everyone else lives elsewhere on the frontier,” Ana explained. “While Las Vegas and Reno have a ton of resources, the rest of the state has nothing.”
Faced with a recovery-hostile landscape, Nevada RAP put their heads down and got to work this year. They hosted a wildly successful virtual Recovery Advocacy Day with Governor Stephen Sisolak and legislative leaders to discuss building recovery-friendly communities statewide, provided overdose prevention trainings at places of faith, and also held listening sessions primarily in rural areas to reach those on the frontier. Additionally, they worked closely with harm reduction organization Trac-B Exchange to teach people about harm reduction methods and services, and provided supplies like fentanyl testing strips.
“We want to meet people where they are at, and help them in whatever path they choose to take,” Ana said.
Lastly, Nevada RAP aims to safeguard the human rights of all people with SUD or a mental health disorder. Whether a person is seeking medical care, applying for a job or trying to get an apartment, advocating for fair and equitable services is core to the Nevada RAP platform.
Nevada RAP is going to be incredibly busy this election year, and Ana feels that she is blessed to work with so many passionate advocates who want to help others.
“I feel so grateful every single day because everyone I am surrounded by is a person who is striving to be better for themselves, families and communities,” Ana said proudly of the entire team. “My favorite part has been the people I have met and constantly inspired by.”
If anyone wants to join Nevada RAP, email [email protected]. They meet every few weeks on Monday at 5:30 PST.
