Richard Buckman

CASAC, LCSW-R, Long Island Recovery Association (LIRA) Founder and Executive Director and FOR-NY Founding Member

Richard is a person in recovery since 1988 and a founding member (2000) of the Long Island Recovery Association (LIRA), the first ever Recovery Community Organization (RCO) in New York State. A multiple term LIRA President, he was also the founding President of Friends of Recovery – New York (FOR-NY) and served on the board for 8 years. He was elected to the Board of Directors of Faces and Voices of Recovery in Washington, DC in 2013.  He served as Chairman of the Board from 2014-2018, and remains a board member today.  He serves on many committees, advisory boards and task forces on Long Island, and at the state and national levels. He is a go-to person on addiction and recovery issues.

By trade, Richard is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Certified Employee Assistance Professional, Credentialed Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Counselor, Level II Certified Experiential Therapist, Certified Recovery Peer Advocate and Certified Addiction Recovery Coach.  Since 1990, he has worked in addiction treatment and Employee Assistance, including nearly 5 years as Senior EAP Specialist and clinical supervisor of the FDNY Counseling Services Unit utilizing EMDR in extensive trauma resolution work with members of service who were impacted at the world trade center on and after 9-11.

Since 2009, he has managed LECSA EAP, a not-for-profit employee/member assistance program affiliated with the Long Island Federation of Labor, the 4th largest central labor council in the US representing more than 250,000 union members.

The many awards he has received include the Advocate of the Year Award from the Association of Addiction Professionals of New York State in 2005, and the Social Worker of the Year Award from the National Association of Social Workers on Long Island in 2011, both recognizing his years of tireless advocacy work.