Google Recover Together is a program initiative from Google that seeks to help people across the United States find and access resources to combat addiction. Launched in September of 2019, in honor of the 30th National Recovery Month [1], it’s a micro-site managed by Google that uses the company’s famous search engine features to assemble a country-wide network of support meetings and judgment-free help.
A section of the site dedicated to telling moving recovery stories helps casual site visitors understand that addiction can happen to anyone. Those same stories offer people feeling overwhelmed by addiction a lifeline of hope for the future.
What Google Recover Together Hopes to Do
The Google Maps-based resource map [2] is the main feature of the web page. By inputting a local zip code, users can search for nearby recovery meetings that cater to their needs.
The list of available support groups is comfortingly varied, featuring classics such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, in addition to more specific offerings such as Marijuana, Cocaine, Heroin, and Crystal Meth Anonymous. Unfortunately, it appears as though for the moment, the options available are only meetings and not dedicated treatment options. But we’re hopeful that it’s a step in the right direction.
How Google Recover Together Works
Never before have Americans had access to such instant support just by performing one online search. A sample search for the zip code 32789 in Orlando, Florida, yields results for twelve different support group options in the blink of an eye. In this regard, Google has indeed achieved the goal of helping users feel like they are never alone in suffering from addiction.
It’s worth noting that Google has adapted to the COVID-19 changes by assisting users in finding online meeting groups, too. Some of the results in the above search offered local phone numbers for physical locations, while others listed websites where users can opt to join video or chat-based groups.
Interestingly, the site also features a map tool that displays – quickly and without any fuss – where users can go to get naloxone without a prescription. [3] Quick access to naloxone, a potentially life-saving medication that can reverse an opioid overdose, could make the difference between life and death in the critical moments before an overdose becomes fatal.
The same Orlando zip code revealed a surprising 28 pharmacies and other locations nearby where naloxone is available without a prescription.
Why is this Initiative Remarkable?
Google Recover Together, however, is only part of an answer to a problem that plagued Google in 2017 when many advertisements for rehabs that showed up in search results turned out to be scams. [4]
To fix this blunder, Google has since required every recovery program to be LegitScript [5] certified before they can appear in advertisements. This with the Google Recover Together search tool showing support meeting options is a fantastic step toward vetting reputable treatment options for those in need. Of course, there is still more to be done!
What’s Next?
With Google, you can now use the resource tools to find meetings and support groups, and also show your support for the movement of ending the stigmatization of recovery. Of course, local rehabs can also help with finding appropriate support groups and meetings. If you’re looking for accredited, reputable, and caring treatment in Southern California, contact Ocean Hills Recovery today for more information.
Sources
[1] https://www.recoverymonth.gov/
[2] https://recovertogether.withgoogle.com/#resource-map
[3] https://recovertogether.withgoogle.com/treatment/#naloxone
[4] https://www.theverge.com/2017/9/7/16257412/rehabs-near-me-google-search-scam-florida-treatment-centers
[5] https://www.legitscript.com/service/certification/programs/
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