Road 2 Recovery to Launch First Phase of the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative

ENCINITAS, California—Following the introduction of the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative earlier this summer, the Road 2 Recovery Foundation (R2R), in conjunction with MX Sports Pro Racing, is prepared to launch the opening phase of the initiative. Working in collaboration with medical professionals and industry leaders, R2R has spearheaded the efforts to establish programs for support group meetings and a website resource portal, which will both begin in the fall.

The first support group meeting will take place on November 9 and will continue the second Tuesday of every month. The meetings will be conducted anonymously and will last an hour at a time, with attendees provided the option to use online, phone, or chat features. A “Group Break Out” feature will also be available for one-on-one conversations. Every meeting will be mediated by licensed and trained therapists and counselors, with specific topics for each respective session. Meeting topics will be voted on by participants via social media and the R2R website. Notably, meetings will be free for anyone to attend and will allow for individual follow up through a hotline number. Access to the meetings will be available on Road2Recovery.com.

The website resource portal is expected to launch on October 10 through the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative link on Road2Recovery.com. The page will serve as a resource for detailed information on all matters of mental health and will be broken down into detail with direct links for more efficient navigation—Insurance Assistance, Screening, Support Groups, Tools for Support, and more. Additionally, the portal will provide direct access to a vast resource of certified therapists and counselors, with interactive capabilities to detail which mental health professionals are accepting new clients, sorting filters to organize by state and other preferences, as well as a linked list of therapists and counselors that offer low hourly rates for uninsured clients. The web portal will also provide a list of 24-hour hotline numbers that offer mental health assistance through the convenience of a mobile device.

Max Matters was first established by Rick Doughty in October 2020, in conjunction with R2R. After the tragic loss of his son Max to suicide in 2019, Doughty partnered with R2R to create a change in narrative regarding this concerning pattern in our racing community. This past May, R2R announced the creation of an advisory group for the Max Matters Mental Health Initiative consisting of specially qualified professionals, industry leaders, current and past pro riders, and dedicated advocates. This group will continue to organize additional programs and make them available for athletes and the racing community.

Current members of The Max Matters Mental Health Initiative Committee include Rick Doughty, Dr. Reiman and Dr. Bodnar of the Alpinestars Mobile Medical Unit, MX Sports Pro Racing executives Tim Cotter and Roy Janson, Andrea Leib, Lesley Roberts, Mandie Fonteyn-Albert, and Lori Armistead. Individuals or groups interested in being involved in the committee, or would like to support the initiative, please contact Lori Armistead at Lori@Road2Recovery.com.

For more information on Road 2 Recovery, upcoming events and athlete updates, visit road2recovery.com or click here to make a donation.

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