-- LOS ANGELES, CA — In recognition of their expanding influence as a leading addiction and mental health expert, Mell McCracken has been promoted to National Director of Chemsex & LGBTQ+ Programs at No Matter What Recovery (NMWR), an outpatient substance abuse and mental health treatment center serving the LGBTQ+ community in Los Angeles. The announcement was made by Anthony Arranaga-Grayson and Paulo Arranaga-Grayson, co-founders of the program.
McCracken, who uses they/them pronouns, is a highly sought-after educator in the recovery field and has presented at prominent professional gatherings including the New York CMA Conference, the National Chemsex Summit in Los Angeles and the International Institute for Trauma and Addiction Professionals Conference in Phoenix. They will be facilitating a chemsex workshop in Miami later this month and will be on an esteemed panel discussion in Antwerp, Belgium, in the first week of March.
A recipient of the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Champion Award from the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, McCracken is a frequent media spokesperson on addiction and mental health on such topics as substance use and mental health disorders, gender identity, chemsex and homophobia. They have been featured in such outlets as U.S. News and World Report, Bustle, Out Magazine, FOX, Spectrum News and Yahoo News.
Additionally, McCracken was credentialed through the CCAPP and is a faculty member of IITAP. They are actively engaged in the City of West Hollywood’s Meth Coalition and a Rainbow Advocate Educator providing clinical education on LGBTQ+ care.
“As No Matter What Recovery continues its unwavering commitment to advancing equitable and inclusive recovery services—particularly for the LGBTQIA+ community—it is essential that we have a knowledgeable advocate who can represent our mission and create national touchpoints on the topics that our organization is passionate about,” said co-founder Anthony Arranaga-Grayson.
“Mell is uniquely qualified for this role,” added co-founder Paulo Arranaga-Grayson. “They bring the experience, insight and vision necessary to help us expand our reach while staying true to our values.”
“This is where my passion meets purpose - sharing information across the country on healing from substance abuse and mental health disorders, especially as it pertains to chemsex or sexualized drug use in the LGBTQ+ community,” said McCracken. “I’m thrilled for this opportunity, and the ability to affect more lives in such a positive way.”
McCracken currently serves as Executive Director of No Matter What Recovery, overseeing clinical operations for the program’s dual-diagnosis substance use and mental health treatment services in Los Angeles, which primarily support LGBTQ+ individuals. Known for its affirming and inclusive environment, NMWR serves clients from diverse backgrounds who have often experienced discrimination, isolation and rejection—factors strongly linked to mental health and substance use challenges. Research shows LGBTQ+ adults are more than twice as likely as their heterosexual peers to use illicit drugs and nearly twice as likely to experience a substance use disorder.
To address these needs, NMWR offers a comprehensive range of evidence-based therapies, including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). The program is also a national leader in chemsex (sexualized drug use) education and treatment, providing specialized group sessions focused on trauma, relapse prevention, communication skills and goal-setting.
Currently, No Matter What Recovery operates both inpatient and outpatient centers, five sober living homes in Los Angeles, and serves up to 40 clients at a time. Next year, the organization will expand its detox and residential operations with an additional six beds, and is expanding their outpatient services to Chicago, IL, and Austin, TX.
For more information, visit NoMatterWhatRecovery.com or call (323) 792-2948.
Contact Info:
Name: Anthony Grayson
Email: Send Email
Organization: No Matter What Recovery
Address: 3409 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026, United States
Website: https://nomatterwhatrecovery.com/
Release ID: 89180747