Shatterproof is a national nonprofit founded in 2013 that works to reverse the U.S. addiction crisis through treatment-system reform, stigma research and community education.
Shatterproof is a national nonprofit organisation founded in 2013 by Gary Mendell, following the death of his son Brian to substance use disorder. The organisation works to reverse the addiction crisis in the United States by changing how the country understands, treats and supports people affected by addiction. It is a tax-exempt charitable organisation under Section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, with a stated mission of creating a world where addiction never defines or ends a life.
Its work spans public health advocacy, survey research and public opinion measurement, treatment provider data and quality resource platforms, and community education and organising. Two of its principal products are Treatment Atlas, a resource designed to help individuals find quality addiction treatment, and the Shatterproof Addiction Stigma Index (SASI), the largest survey of public attitudes about substance use disorder in the United States. The scale of the problem it addresses is substantial: nearly 49 million Americans are affected by substance use disorder.
Shatterproof concentrates on three areas: reforming addiction treatment systems, ending stigma and discrimination against people with substance use disorder, and educating and empowering communities. The organisation describes its approach as grounded in evidence-based resources, tolerance and compassion. Its reach is national across the United States, and it operates in the public health, addiction treatment and recovery, behavioural health, and nonprofit sectors.
