Liberation Programs, Inc.

09/27/2025

Liberation Programs is always happy to support CCAR Annual Walk! 25 years strong!

09/27/2025

Always happy to support CCAR Anual Recovery Walk!

09/25/2025

Recovery is Everywhere!
Next stop... Our Champion for Recovery: New Canaan! 🌟

New Canaan has a long history of leading with compassion, listening to its community, and taking bold steps to support wellness and recovery. With strong partners like the and its Community Behavioral Health Alliance, this community is at the forefront of building healthier futures.

New Canaan is also home to the largest recovery event in Connecticut — the New Canaan Recovery Community Awareness Vigil, hosted . This annual gathering brings hundreds of people together to honor those lost, celebrate those in recovery, and inspire hope for the future. This year, 600 people came together to shine a light on recovery and the strength of this remarkable community.

We also collected our 6th proclamation for Recovery Month! Pictured here: First Selectman Dionna Carlson and Marcella Rand from the Health and Human Services Department. Liberation Programs: John Hamilton, Tracy Cramer, and Chris Calby.

We are so very proud to help New Canaan residents with our programs and services. In FY25, we helped people in outpatient treatment, medication-assisted treatment (MAT), integrated mental health services
and we helped a family with permanent supportive housing at Gini’s House. The impact is amazing: 472 clinical contacts, including 387 life-saving doses of methadone, provided vital steps toward stability and long-term recovery.

Funding from the also helps support the 5,500+ people who rely on Liberation Programs for treatment and outreach services each year. We are so grateful for the support.

09/24/2025

Recovery Is Everywhere – and so is Joanne’s impact!

Make room John and Maggie! We had to get a bigger car for our Recovery Month proclamation tour… because the recovery community is so strong, and now we’ve added our very own Joanne Montgomery, Chief Clinical Officer, to the ride!

With Joanne’s incredible leadership and the support of so many in our community, we are building a future where recovery is visible, celebrated, and supported every step of the way.

We are so proud to celebrate with Joanne and recognize her 31 years in recovery. Her strength and commitment inspire everyone at Liberation Programs — and remind us all that recovery is possible and powerful. 💜

09/23/2025

Behind every statistic about addiction or mental health is a real person. It could be your friend, a colleague, a loved one. These challenges affect all of us, often in ways we don’t even realize.

On November 5th at Woodway Country Club, Liberation Programs is hosting a special lunch event to explore these issues in a way that’s both deeply compassionate and practical. Together, we’ll look at the forces shaping our lives, from rising rates of distraction and stress to the ongoing addiction crisis, and how connection can be the key to healing.

Our featured speaker, Johann Hari, is known worldwide for his powerful storytelling and fresh perspectives. His TED Talk on addiction has been viewed more than 23 million times, and he’s written best-selling books and been a guest on top podcasts like Oprah’s Super Soul, Diary of a CEO, Rich Roll, and Kelly Corrigan Wonders.

Whether you join us to be inspired, to spark conversation, or to better understand the people around you, this event will leave you with a new perspective on issues that touch every family and every community.

For tickets, tables, or sponsorships: https://www.liberationprograms.org/author-lunch-with-johann-hari/

Contact chris.calby@liberationprograms.org for more information.

09/22/2025

We are grateful to (MID-FAIRFIELD AIDS PROJECT) for sponsoring our upcoming Author Lunch with Johann Hari.

MFAP’s dedication to health equity and compassionate care strengthens our community every day, and their support helps make this special event possible. Together, we are creating spaces for hope, healing, and meaningful conversations about addiction, recovery, and connection.

📅 Wednesday, November 5, 2025
📍 Woodway Country Club, Darien, CT
🎟️ Learn more: https://www.liberationprograms.org/author-lunch-with-johann-hari/

Thank you, MFAP, for standing with us in this work!

09/22/2025

Recovery Is Everywhere – and so is Strength, Love, and Leadership!

Liberation Programs was proud to sponsor this year’s Sweet Mother Awards and Dinner, Sweet Mother Inc. honoring ordinary women doing extraordinary things. For 16 years, Sweet Mother Inc. has celebrated women whose “just a little bit extra” — extra love, creativity, preparation, and care — has transformed families, communities, and lives.

As part of Recovery Month, we were thrilled to bring our wonderful women in our recovery program to the gala for a well-deserved night out — a chance to celebrate, be inspired, and see that recovery is possible. 💜

The evening recognized eight extraordinary Women of Hope, including Trisha Smith from Liberation Programs who received the Emerging Young Professional Award for her work to launch Women Behind the Emotions. Her journey from pain and silence to healing and empowerment is a powerful reminder that Recovery Is Everywhere — in our communities, in our homes, and in the stories of women lifting each other up.

It was a night filled with joy, celebration, and community — proof that when women support one another, amazing things happen. ✨

09/19/2025

Recovery Is Everywhere!! Our celebration this month continues!

Today, we’re shining a light on the REACH Program—a lifeline for anyone managing substance use and seeking healing and treatment. We’re so proud to share Elizabeth’s story.

“REACH meant a second chance at life,” says Elizabeth, who’s now 19 months into recovery. “It means being able to appreciate everything that I once took for granted and live a really rich life. When it comes to family and emotions and memories, sobriety is a whole new chance at bettering myself. It’s a whole new way of life.”

Recovery looks different for everyone, and our goal is to create a safe, nonjudgmental space where people can get the help they need. Programs like REACH make this possible.

Read our latest feature to learn more about the program and see how REACH is changing lives every day.

Visit the post for more.

09/18/2025

Next stop… Shining a light on Recovery in Stamford! 🌟

Stamford means so much to us! It is where Liberation Programs began back in 1971, and it remains at the heart of our mission today.

Stamford is a city focused on solutions, empathy, and forward thinking, and we are proud to work with local leaders in city government and nonprofits to bring vital services to our community.

Our continuum of care in Stamford includes:

• Liberation House — Stamford’s only residential treatment program for men.
• Pollak Place for Outpatient Care — comprehensive mental health and substance use treatment
• Integrated Mental Health Services — embedded in Stamford Health’s Long Ridge Road and in Pollak Place to increase access and reduce stigma
• Community Outreach & Harm Reduction — providing safer use resources, connections, and pathways to care
• Prevention Programs — educating youth and the community about substance use and emerging trends

We are proud of serving the community. FY25 Impact in Stamford:
• 1,145 Stamford residents served through treatment programs
• 258 men received care and support at Liberation House
• 223 people received integrated mental health services at Stamford Health
• 414 community members supported through outreach over 512 transactions
• 122,925 clinical contacts with Stamford clients, including 109,820 doses of methadone

Pictured here: Dr. Maggie Young, Chief Recovery Officer; Tracy Cramer, Chief Development Officer; Mayor Caroline Simmons; John Hamilton, President & CEO of Liberation Programs; and Carmen Hughes, City of Stamford Director of DEI.

💜 Together, we are building a future where recovery is rooted and thriving in Stamford!
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09/17/2025

We are deeply grateful to our friends at for sponsoring our upcoming Author Lunch with .hari!

Johann has reached millions worldwide through his bestselling books, viral TED Talks, and podcasts appearances. His work shines a light on some of today’s most urgent and personal issues - from the war on drugs and the rise of Ozempic to the global crisis of attention.

CCAR's support of our event helps make it possible for Liberation Programs to bring powerful conversations about addiction, recovery, and connection to our community. Together, we are building pathways of hope and healing.

Event Details:
Wednesday, November 5, 2025
Woodway Country Club, Darien, CT
Learn more: https://www.liberationprograms.org/author-lunch-with-johann-hari/

Thank you, CCAR, for standing with us in the fight against addiction and in support of recovery!

09/11/2025

Recovery is Everywhere- John just dropped by FIRP and picked up Maggie!

“Recovery is not a single moment, it’s a journey of supported choices. As someone living in long-term recovery, I’ve experienced firsthand how the right care, connection, and community can change everything. When we invest in people, we see families stabilize, neighborhoods strengthen, and hope take root.”

— Dr. Maggie Young, Chief Recovery Officer, Liberation Programs

At Liberation Programs, our Chief Recovery Officer, Dr. Maggie Young, brings both professional expertise and lived experience. Maggie is a person in long-term recovery for 33 years, and her leadership is a powerful reminder that recovery is not only possible, it’s transformative.

This month, we are celebrating the millions of people who are living proof that recovery is possible. 💜
-46 million people in the U.S. are affected by substance use disorders each year.
-75% of people who experience addiction will recover.
-22 million Americans are living in recovery today — rebuilding their lives, families, and communities.
-Every $1 invested in treatment saves $4–$7 in reduced crime and justice costs.

We honor the strength of individuals and families, and recommit to ensuring everyone has access to the care and support they need to thrive.

Share your recovery story or words of encouragement in the comments — your voice could inspire someone to take the first step.

09/10/2025

Recovery is Everywhere! Next stop....Recovery has a home in Darien!

Darien is a community that truly understands the value of community, wellness, and recovery. Partnering with organizations like The Community Fund of Darien, we open the door to services including:

• Mental Health Counseling — Support for mental health needs in individual and group settings, whether or not clients have a Substance Use Disorder
• Substance Use Treatment — Medication-Assisted, outpatient, and intensive outpatient services for people with SUDs, creating opportunities for long-term health and recovery
• Integrated Mental Health Services — in partnership with Stamford Health, counselors are embedded in the Long Ridge Road primary care office to make access easier and reduce stigma.
• Community Outreach — connecting people to resources and pathways to care.

Pictured here: Frank Huck, Liberation Programs Board Member, Tracy Cramer, Chief Development Officer, Jon Zagrodzky, First Selectman, Dr. Maggie Young, Chief Recovery Officer, John Bassler, Liberation Programs Board Member, and Chris Calby, Development Manager.

FY25 Impact in Darien:
• 24 Darien residents served in treatment programs, including outpatient, MAT & Integrated Health programs
• 1,796 clinical contacts with Darien clients
• Funding from the Community Fund of Darien helped support 728 community members in Stamford & Norwalk through Community Outreach services

💜 Together, we are building a future where recovery is home in Darien!
👉 Share what recovery means to you using .