Recovery Month Events Highlight Importance of Seeking Treatment

September is National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, a time to recognize the efforts of treatment providers, promote the benefits of treatment, and encourage individuals with substance use disorders to seek treatment and recovery.

On September 8, 2005, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) unveils the new National Survey on Drug Use and Health. The annual survey is the government's primary vehicle for determining how many persons are abusing illegal drugs, pharmaceuticals, alcohol and tobacco, and its release is the highlight of the annual Recovery Month press conference that kicks off the Recovery Month observance.

In addition to the many exciting events planned for September, SAMHSA has released a Road to Recovery Webcast each month since January, leading up to the current Webcast, “Recovery and Policy: How States Transform Systems of Care.” This Webcast profiles State officials who are making a difference and who are finding innovative and successful ways to ensure effective treatment services are available to the populations they serve.

Other highlights of Recovery Month include:

• Proclamations. When State and local officials publicly sign a proclamation designating September as Recovery Month, the community realizes that local Governments are committed to improving access to addiction treatment. These proclamations also help draw public attention to local events and activities.



• Voices for Recovery. People can share their recovery stories and find support or strength through others’ first-hand experiences in the Voices for Recovery section of the Road to Recovery Web site.



• Community Events and Activities. Nationwide, communities are celebrating recovery by holding special events at major league baseball games, and by developing recovery-related conferences, art shows, festivals, and walkathons. Visit http://www.recoverymonth.gov/2005/events/ to submit or find a community recovery event, or to get ideas for your own community event.



• Publications. The Recovery Month toolkit, poster, and flyer; public service announcements; and other related materials are available to view or order.

Individuals with substance use disorders may feel like they will never be able to recover from their addictions. By promoting National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month through local community events and media, we can help give these individuals hope that treatment is available and recovery is possible. For more information about Recovery Month, visit www.recoverymonth.gov. Our Web site recently won a gold award from the WWW Health Awards, which recognizes the best health-related Web sites for consumers and professionals. We were awarded the gold for the best government site in the Health Promotion/Disease & Injury Prevention Information category.