Vernon Johnson Biography

Vernon E. Johnson (August 23, 1920 – April 30, 1999) was an Episcopal priest and recovered alcoholic who devoted his life to alcohol intervention. Johnson's main achievements lie in the field of treatment of chemical dependency, especially alcoholism. Johnson did not believe that an alcoholic needed to "hit rock bottom" before recovery. He introduced the concept of intervention by family, friends, and employers. He supported "early intervention", because it interrupted the progression of the disease of alcoholism before the disease completely destroyed the alcoholic's life.