James Moore, who has dedicated his life to preventing opioid addiction in others after the overdose of his son, Jeffrey, will receive a national Voice Award on Wednesday, Aug. 8, in Los Angeles at UCLA’s Royce Hall.
The Voice Awards program, sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association, honors people in recovery and their family members who are improving the lives of people with mental illnesses, substance use disorders or both in communities across the country.
Moore, who is vacationing in Arkansas, said he was surprised by the honor.
“I am honored that somebody felt that I was making a difference,” said the HubCitySPOKES 2017 Hattiesburg Person of the Year. “Obviously, it’s a reward that I do not want to be able to accept. It’s not a list that I really want to be on.”
Moore said receiving the award from SAMHSA is humbling because of the work done by the group.
“I’m glad this is an organization that sees the value in recognizing opioid abuse as an illness,” he said. “It takes the stigma out of the disease.”
One of the 2017 Voice Award winners, the television show “This Is Us,” has been a favorite of Moore.
“I am a big fan of the show,” he said. “I am glad that it won one of the awards last year.”
Moore also thanked the work being done by the Governor’s Opioid Task Force and for local mental health and addiction recovery centers that allow him to speak to patients.
“I’m glad someone is getting the facts and information of what’s happening and going on with opioids,” he said.
Moore has been responsible for saving the lives of people who may not have had the chance to survive earlier when he discovered Narcan Nasal Spray, a prescription medicine used for the treatment of an opioid emergency such as an overdose. Because of his efforts, he has educated and helped equip first responders with Narcan, both in the Pine Belt and across the state.
Moore, who owns Moore’s Bicycle Shop on Hardy Street, also has donated his time and resources to help different areas of the community, including Southern Pines Animal Shelter and the dog park in downtown Hattiesburg.
He also was instrumental in fundraising efforts that produced the Longleaf Trace – a 41-mile multipurpose trail built under the Rails to Trails initiative from Hattiesburg to Prentiss.
To be chosen for the Voice Award, consumer, peer and family leaders play a vital role in raising awareness and understanding of behavioral health issues. They are sharing their stories of resilience to demonstrate that recovery is real and possible through treatment and recovery supports.
The awards program also recognizes television and film productions that educate the public about behavioral health and showcase that recovery is real and possible through treatment and recovery supports. The writers and producers of these productions give a voice to people with mental illnesses, substance use disorders, or both by incorporating dignified, respectful and accurate portrayals of these individuals into their scripts, programs and productions.
The awards program will begin at 9:30 p.m. CDT on Wednesday, Aug. 8. The event will be livestreamed and Pine Belt residents can watch the livestream directly at https://www.samhsa.gov/voice-awards.
