Presentation and Bio: Beth Ritter was born and raised in Southeastern Wisconsin. She is a mother of three adult sons, one of whom suffered from mental illness and substance use disorder. She uses her perspective of his story of addiction from doctor’s office to hospice to provide support and comfort for others who find themselves or their loved ones in a similar situation.

Bio and Presentation: Jesse is the Vice President of Strategy and Innovation. He is a person in long-term substance use and mental health recovery. He is a recovery coach professional who has been providing training and consulting for substance use recovery and mental health organizations for over 8 years. He is the Co-Owner of Helios Recovery Services. He currently sits on boards for RISE TOGETHER and the Privilege Institute. He lives in Wisconsin with his wife/business partner and 4 children, enjoying all things in geek culture, basketball, and coffee. It is his belief that recovery is the process of returning to inherent worth and dignity. Jesse Heffernan (He/Him/His) gives us a brief dive into the daily inequities and barriers people experience attempting to access care and treatment. Additionally, he explores the process of addressing and eliminating these barriers through advocacy and policy strategies and the potential of a Recovery Support Services lens.