NC leaders call for compassion and collaboration in fight against addiction at LCC conference
North Carolina’s First Lady Anna Stein and Attorney General Jeff Jackson brought messages of compassion, evidence-based treatment, and partnership to Lenoir Community College on Tuesday, where community leaders, recovery advocates, and health professionals gathered for the third annual Recovery Together ENC Conference.
Hosted in the college’s Briley Auditorium, the event united justice officials, educators, and public health partners from across Eastern North Carolina to share strategies for addressing substance use disorder and reducing stigma in rural communities.
First Lady Anna Stein: “We can’t fight stigma with shame”
First Lady Anna Stein, a former public health attorney with more than a decade of experience in state policy, delivered the conference’s keynote address, urging attendees to recognize that stigma remains one of the biggest barriers to recovery.
“Stigma is the foundational reason substance misuse is such a difficult issue for our society to tackle,” Stein said. “We can set social norms that promote a healthy society, but we must maintain our connection and positive regard for the human beings behind those behaviors.”
Stein emphasized the need for trauma-informed care and evidence-based treatment programs, pointing to medications for opioid use disorder, such as methadone and buprenorphine, as proven tools that too often remain underused due to stigma.
She also highlighted Unshame NC, a statewide anti-stigma campaign launched this summer through the Department of Health and Human Services and the nonprofit Shatterproof. The campaign promotes four messages: that treatment works, everyone can take action to support recovery, every community can be a place of healing, and people with substance use disorders are essential members of society.
“When people are treated with dignity and compassion, they begin to believe their lives have value,” Stein said. “That’s when real recovery becomes possible.”
Attorney General Jeff Jackson: “Partnerships are how we move the needle”
Attorney General Jeff Jackson, who succeeded Gov. Josh Stein earlier this year, praised the First Lady’s leadership and called her “a genuine expert in this field.” He also reaffirmed the state’s ongoing commitment to recovery efforts and announced that North Carolina will receive its full share — approximately $1.6 billion, from the national opioid settlement with Purdue Pharma.
“Hopefully this is really going to move the needle,” Jackson said. “We’re already seeing diversion programs, post-overdose paramedic units, and harm-reduction initiatives that wouldn’t exist without these funds.”
Jackson said most of the settlement money will arrive in the next three years and emphasized that the funds will be directed locally, allowing counties to tailor recovery and prevention programs to community needs.
He also discussed efforts by the Department of Justice to combat the international money laundering operations fueling fentanyl trafficking, describing a new multistate initiative focused on encrypted platforms used by criminal networks.
“The most important thing I can convey is that I intend to be a partner,” Jackson said. “You are leaders in this space, and my door is open to you.”
Local collaboration at the center
Former Judge Beth Heath, who leads the Recovery Together ENC collaborative, said the conference is a reflection of years of teamwork between courts, colleges, health departments, and local governments.
“This started as a grassroots effort,” Heath said. “When individuals are successful in recovery, we are all successful. Our communities are safer, our families are reunited, and people thrive.”
Lenoir Community College President Dr. Rusty Hunt said hosting the conference aligns with the college’s broader mission to expand educational and workforce pathways, including reentry and recovery initiatives now housed on campus.
“Recovery is not a solitary journey; it’s a community effort,” Hunt said. “Every conversation, every new idea, and every act of understanding brings us one step closer to a stronger and healthier community.”
A growing movement
Now in its third year, Recovery Together ENC connects recovery courts, service providers, and reentry programs across Lenoir, Greene, and Jones counties. The collaborative’s “recovery hub,” located along Kinston’s historic “Magic Mile,” links residents to treatment, education, job training, and social services — all within walking distance.
This year’s sponsors included Trivium, Hope Restorations, Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina, the N.C. Department of Adult Correction, and the Lenoir and Greene County health departments.
As the day closed, one message echoed throughout the auditorium: that Eastern North Carolina’s path to recovery depends on compassion, coordination, and community.
“When we come together,” Heath said, “recovery isn’t just possible it’s powerful.”
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