JB Brown Joins the Addiction Prevention Coalition Board

JB Brown, founder of The People’s Defender, has joined the governing board of the Addiction Prevention Coalition (APC), a Birmingham-based nonprofit organization dedicated to preventing substance use disorders and supporting recovery across Jefferson County and the surrounding region. JB is listed among the current governing board members on the APC board page.

About the Addiction Prevention Coalition

Founded in Birmingham, the Addiction Prevention Coalition operates under the mission of pursuing freedom and healing from addiction. The organization serves the greater Birmingham area through education, prevention, community outreach, and resources for individuals and families affected by substance use disorders.

APC’s work spans several programs, including classroom-based education, youth leadership, parent prevention resources, APC trainings, and community events. The organization also operates overdose prevention programs including ONEbox and nCase, and maintains a resource directory for those seeking help. APC is funded in part through the Alabama Department of Mental Health, SAMHSA, and the Alabama Department of Public Health.

The governing board brings together leaders from medicine, education, law, business, and the community to guide the organization’s strategic direction. Current board members include representatives from UAB Medical Center, Jefferson County Drug Court, Jefferson State Community College, and Birmingham City Schools, among others.

Why This Work Matters to JB Brown

The intersection of addiction and the criminal justice system is something JB Brown encounters in his practice every day. Drug charges are among the most common cases in Alabama courts. Many defendants caught in the system are people whose underlying struggles with substance use disorders were never addressed before their arrest.

For JB, this work is personal. He is in recovery himself, and it was that experience that led him to law school and shaped his decision to become a criminal defense lawyer. Understanding addiction from the inside gives him a perspective that most attorneys simply do not have, and it is what drives his belief that prevention matters as much as defense. Joining the APC board is an opportunity to support the front end of that work, backing the systems and people that help keep others from ever reaching a courtroom.

Supporting the Mission

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, APC’s Find Help directory is a free resource connecting people with treatment, support groups, and recovery services in the Birmingham area.

To learn more about the Addiction Prevention Coalition, visit apcbham.org.