[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 155 (Friday, November 7, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S12053]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                          THE RECOVERY NETWORK

 Mrs. FEINSTEIN. Mr. President, a California company has 
embarked on an effort that I believe demonstrates how entrepreneurship 
and public service can go hand in hand.
  The Recovery Network is a new nationwide cable television program 
dedicated to helping people recover from the devastating disease of 
addiction. This Santa Monica-based network is the first of its kind and 
the only broadcast network in the world devoted entirely to substance 
abuse recovery and prevention.
  It is estimated that more than 130 million Americans suffer from or 
are affected by alcoholism, drug abuse, eating disorders, depression, 
gambling and other addictions. The Recovery Network offers a lifeline 
of help to millions of those in need offering group recovery sessions, 
information on 12-step recovery programs, a 24-hour 800-number help 
line, discussion shows designed for children of alcoholics and parents 
with drug abuse problems, and information shows on the pharmacological 
effects of alcohol and other addictive substances. Recovery Network 
serves not only those in need of help, but also the friends, families, 
teachers, and professionals seeking guidance and tools to effect 
change.
  Another important part of the Recovery Network is the localized 
programming effort. ``Neighborhood Recovery'' enables local community 
groups to offer their services through cable programming. Organizations 
like Californians for Drug-Free Youth, and the Miami Coalition for a 
Safe and Drug-Free Community can reach out to people in their specific 
area offering information on local meetings and other resources.
  I believe this type of public service programming is exactly what 
Congress envisioned when it passed the Cable Communications Act in 
1984, ``* * * to provide the widest possible diversity of information 
sources and service to the public'' and ``* * * assure that cable 
systems are responsive to the needs and interest of the local 
community.''
  Community cable became a permanent fixture on the American landscape 
in 1948. Its purpose was to service remote communities with a master 
antenna providing a clear television broadcast signal. Three years 
later, 70 cable systems services 14,000 homes nationally. Since then, 
cable television has become a vital full-service link to citizens in 
every city and town in the United States, serving more than 67 million 
households nationwide.
  People suffering from alcohol and drug addiction have found the 
Recovery Network there to help when they were most in need:
  One young couple from Ohio who was traveling and struggling to 
maintain their sobriety early in recovery happened upon the Recovery 
Network on their hotel television. They said ``* * * we turned you on 
unknowingly, and it was like an AA meeting right in our hotel room. It 
really helped us refocus on what is important, and that is AA and 
staying sober.''
  An Indiana viewer wrote ``I just want to say thank you for the 
programs and the light at the end of the tunnel that they showed me.''
  A Michigan man wrote ``Thank you for making such a big difference in 
my life.''
  A California woman wrote ``When I can't make a meeting, I know you're 
there for me.''
  Recovery Network has become a leader in delivering effective 
programming which provides solutions to these problems in the privacy 
of the home and in offering positive lifestyle choices as an 
alternative.
  The Recovery Network is supported by every major drug abuse 
prevention and recovery organization in the Nation, including the 
Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America, the National Drug Prevention 
League, National Association of State Alcohol and Drug Abuse Directors 
and the National Parents Resource Institute for Drug Education.
  Mr. President, I am proud that the Recovery Network is a product of 
the State of California and I wish them much success in their 
endeavor.

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