Tom Stuber honored at NAADAC 2022 Advocacy Awards

Thomas Stuber, president and chief legislative officer at The LCADA Way, has been given the 2022 Sen. Harold E. Hughes Advocate of the Year Award by the National Association for Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Counselors, also known as NAADAC, at its 2022 Advocacy Awards. The award is named after Hughes, an Iowa governor, U.S. senator, and lifelong advocate for treatment, research, and recovery. All of the awardees were presented with their awards during the 2023 Advocacy in Action Conference and Hill Day on March 8-9. Stuber "was recognized as a caring and talented individual who has made a positive difference in the lives of those who are often misunderstood and ignored in our society," LCADA Way said in a news release. "Through his advocacy and leadership, Stuber memorialized changes that not only improved lives but also saved lives." Stuber's first major advocacy project was in the 1980s as a member of the Northern Ohio Chemical Dependency Treatment Directors Association and the steering committee that developed the Cleveland Treatment Criteria, which is now know as the ASAM Criteria. Throughout his decades of service, Stuber has served on committees and advocated before the Ohio Legislature to address the needs of the treatment field and those served, including getting telehealth approved as a treatment service in Ohio, expanding access to naloxone, legalizing the use of fentanyl test strips and more, according to LCADA Way. He developed relationships with Ohio legislators and cultivated an understanding of the needs of the addiction field and the individuals LCADA Way serves. Stuber was one of four award winners at the Advocacy Awards. NAADAC honors the work of addiction professionals, organizations, and public figures who passionately advocate for the addiction profession and the clients they serve, according to the LCADA Way. "We are honored to have such strong and effective advocates to fight for the addiction workforce and the communities we serve and thank them for their leadership and their profound impact on addiction professionals, the addiction profession, and those it serves," NAADAC said in a news release.