Vicky Cornell Joins Advisory Board at Addiction Policy Forum

Vicky Cornell, wife of iconic singer, songwriter and Soundgarden, Temple of the Dog and Audioslave front man Chris Cornell, has announced that she’ll be joining the Advisory Board at the Addiction Policy Forum alongside former Drug Czar General Barry McCaffrey and former Members of Congress Alan Mollohan and Frank Guinta.

“I’ve learned a lot since losing Chris, including the fact that addiction is a brain disease – a disease that is both preventable and treatable,” says Vicky Cornell. “While I can’t bring my husband back, I can help the millions of other families struggling with addiction and I hope we can prevent this horrific experience from happening to others.” Vicky Cornell appeared on Good Morning America this morning to discuss for the first time her husband’s tragic passing from addiction and highlight the Chris and Vicky Cornell Foundation’s plan to address the addiction crisis.

The Addiction Policy Forum is a national nonprofit focused on improving policies related to substance use disorders through a comprehensive response.

“We feel incredibly fortunate that Vicky is joining our Advisory Board,” says Addiction Policy Forum President and CEO Jessica Hulsey Nickel. “Addiction is a disease that does not discriminate and Vicky has seen first-hand how addiction impacts families.”

We admire Vicky’s ongoing efforts to help others suffering from the mental health issues that caused the loss of her husband. Together with Chester Bennington’s wife Talinda Bennington, she’s been a key figure in bringing more attention to diseases such as depression, addiction and anxiety. 

As a member of the Advisory Board, Vicky will support five strategic priorities:

● The Addiction Resource Center is an online portal to help patients with a substance use disorder. This new platform includes reliable, evidence-based information about resources at the local level.

● Research to Find a Cure. The Addiction Science Initiative: Advancing Treatment and Recovery, is a partnership with the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and community partners such as Faces and Voices of Recovery. The initiative will raise money to support research and development around treatment and recovery from substance use disorders, including opioid use disorder.

● A national crisis line. The crisis hotline will connect patients and families to available treatment, recovery and prevention services in the community. The service will be administered by social workers experienced in evaluating substance use disorders, and is expected to launch in April.

● Children Impacted by Addiction. Over nine million children in the U.S. are impacted by parental substance use disorder. These children are at an increased risk for depression, suicide, poverty, delinquency, homelessness, and addiction. APF is launching a joint initiative with the National Association for Children of Addiction (NACoA) to ensure evidence-based interventions and support for our most vulnerable children nationwide.

● Medical Education Initiative. The program will further the education of healthcare providers about the identification and treatment of SUDs. Few medical specialties have comprehensive training and tools available for their clinicians to underhand addiction and only eight percent of U.S. medical schools have a separate required course on addiction. This initiative will work with medical specialty areas, such as primary practice, as well as medical schools and other key clinicians to provide the training and tools doctors need.

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