Amatus stands in solidarity with all of the people across the globe mourning the death of George Floyd and countless others who lost their lives unnecessarily. We are outraged and heartbroken. We support those fighting to combat hate, discrimination, and unfair treatment of our fellow humans. We stand with our staff, our clients, and all those who live in legitimate fear that they and their loved ones may be targeted based on race. We empathize with the anxiety, fatigue, and frustration of the African American community. We acknowledge that these lives matter.
Racism infiltrates every aspect of our lives. We would be remiss not to mention how it impacts the addiction community. Spurred on by The War on Drugs, African Americans and other people of color are often incarcerated for similar practices for which the white population receives treatment.
Nearly 80% of people in federal prison for drug crimes are black and brown people. This is why Amatus supports Drug Abuse Response Team (D.A.R.T.), a program that connects people willing to enter addiction treatment to resources and help to minimize jail time.
We know that dealing with systemic racism, fear of violence, and discrimination is traumatic. We are committed to supporting people in our communities in need of compassion and trauma-informed care. As an ongoing commitment, we will continue to develop meaningful ways to use our voice and resources to support reforming the drug policies that so negatively impact African American communities. In addition, we have set up a Social Justice Scholarship Fund, as a way to provide treatment for individuals who are facing jail time for drug-related offenses.
As a company, Amatus embraces diversity and wholeheartedly believes in the power of inclusion. We acknowledge that we do not have all the answers. We may never be perfect, but we resolve to work to make Amatus the best version of itself. We are dedicated to leading peaceful and positive change in our workplace and across the communities we serve. We have the responsibility to create a culture where there is no place for hate and discrimination.
We take a knee with those who fight oppression and who demand to make our country a more perfect union.
To a brighter future, upward and onward.
Mark Gold