“Progress Only Occurs when People Make Demands:” Paolo del Vecchio Reflects on a Life of Federal Service, and His Fears and Hopes for the Future

“Progress Only Occurs when People Make Demands:” Paolo del Vecchio Reflects on a Life of Federal Service, and His Fears and Hopes for the Future

Paulo del Vecchio is a person in long-term recovery from mental health and addictions, who has been a leader in the peer recovery movement for 40 years. He recently completed a 30-year career at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, where he served in multiple roles including the director of the Center for Mental Health Services and the founding director of the Office of Reco…