Oral history interview with Chris Policano, 2015

Biographical Note

Chris Policano served as Phoenix House's media liaison and public relations director between 1989 and 2007. Born and raised in the outer boroughs of New York City, he joined Phoenix House after a brief stint in the public relations business. He was closely involved with the public relations elements of Phoenix House's expansion into southern California. He also worked with the media throughout Phoenix House's peak years as addiction experts, at a time when the nation was increasingly nervous about the crack epidemic in the 1980s. At the time of the interview, he was serving as Public Affairs Director for the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, AFL-CIO

Scope and Contents

Chris Policano details his pathway to Phoenix House and shares backstory about the building that was slated to be the Nancy Reagan Center and the process of establishing good relations with the Lake View community. He discusses the therapeutic community method and Phoenix House's role in explaining the crack epidemic to stakeholders during the 1980s. He narrates the challenges of de-stigmatizing the images of addicts, and of defending long-term residential care to the public, funders and doctors. He then speaks on organizational culture and leadership

Subjects

• Cocaine abuse--United States--History--20th century.
• Drug addicts--United States.
• Interviews.
• Lake View Terrace (Calif.)
• Oral histories (literary works)
• Phoenix House (Organization)
• Policano, Chris--Interviews.
• Public relations personnel--Interviews.
• Substance abuse--Treatment.
• Therapeutic communities.
• Thurner, Lance, interviewer.

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University in the City of New York, 2015