Jeff Breedlove: Recovery Advocacy from the Capitol to the Community

In this episode, Matt Shedd talks with Candace Whitaker, Executive Director of the Georgia Association of Recovery Residences (GARR). Candace shares how GARR sets the standards for safe and ethical recovery housing in Georgia, helping families and individuals find trustworthy residences while preventing unsafe or exploitative environments.

In this episode, Matt Shedd speaks with Jeff Breedlove, a person in long-term recovery and the policy and advocacy leader for both the American Addiction Recovery Association (AARA) and the Georgia Council for Recovery.

Jeff shares his own recovery journey and his work advocating at every level — from Congress and state legislatures down to city councils and local communities. He introduces the Purple Project, a nationwide initiative that brings recovery awareness to Friday night lights and college football games, and discusses emerging technologies that could shape the future of treatment and recovery.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• Jeff’s personal journey from addiction to advocacy

• How recovery community organizations provide peer support outside of treatment and 12-step programs

• The Purple Project and how football is becoming a platform for recovery awareness

• New technologies in treatment, including AI, smartphone-based recovery tools, and medical innovations

• Why reducing stigma is essential to saving lives and shaping better policy

About Addiction Treatment Podcasts: At Addiction Treatment Podcasts, we specialize in creating podcasts and other online and print materials for treatment centers and organizations in the addiction field. To learn more, visit⁠addictiontreatmentpodcasts.com⁠.