Briefly Noted

Carmen Beatrice Pearman Arlt died last December after a long illness. News of her death started circulating throughout the field only last month, however. Arlt, a longtime Indiana resident, was born in 1955. She organized one of the oldest chapters of the National Alliance for Medication Assisted Recovery (NAMA Recovery), the Methadone Advocacy Group (MAG) of Indiana. NAMA Recovery Director Joycelyn Woods recalled last week that Arlt, in the early 1990s, sent an index card to NAMA Recovery with dimes taped to it and a short message saying she could not afford the $10 membership fee. “Like all letters we receive from patients, she received a letter back saying that we would rather have her advocacy than money,” said Woods. One of the things MAG of Indiana did was clean the street around the methadone clinic. “While they were out picking up garbage and sweeping the street, the reverend from the church across the street came out to warn them about those addicts over there. Carmen explained that they were those addicts,” said Woods. “From this encounter, patients were given space in the church to set up 12‐Step groups and to have meetings. The following year, there was a big drug conference in Indiana, and the chapter acted as the color guard for the governor when he entered the arena. I remember Carmen sending a picture of them all dressed in white shirts, navy bowties for women and regular ties for men and navy pants.” Arlt received the Nyswander/Dole Award from the American Association for the Treatment of Opioid Dependence in 2001 for organizing the state provider organization — at the time, Indiana had no opioid treatment program representation and clinics saw one another more as competitors than associates working for a common cause, said Woods. More recently, in addition to being president of NAMA Recovery, Arlt developed the program for women and children at Porter‐Starke Services in Valparaiso. She was continuing her education to get a Ph.D. in social work when she became ill. “NAMA Recovery will miss Ms. Pearman‐Arlt's dedication and compassion to patients and the field,” said Woods..