NC woman to speak at White House event during National Recovery Month

(NORTH CAROLINA — WWAY) — A North Carolina woman is traveling to the White House this week as part of September’s National Recovery Month.

National Recovery Month raises awareness about mental health and substance use disorders and highlights the importance of recovery and support.

Candace Alley, CEO of I-Care Aware, is among those sharing her experience in Washington, D.C. Her organization encourages employers to better support employees who are navigating recovery.

Alley said her own experiences shaped her belief that workplaces can provide critical stability during difficult times.

She lost her husband to suicide, followed by the deaths of her father and stepson one year apart.

“During that period of time, most employers would have been like, ‘This is too much. You’re a liability,’ those kind of things,” Alley said. “But instead, my employer really embraced me, and that was the only source of stability that I had in that time.”

On Tuesday, Alley is scheduled to speak at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy. She will share her recovery journey and discuss the role a supportive workplace can play in helping employees through challenging circumstances.

Alley says employers can make a difference by creating workplaces where employees feel supported rather than stigmatized during recovery.