| National Recovery Month 2001 | |
September begins the National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month, an effort coordinated for the past 12 years by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA), Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT).
 Graphic by SAMSHA |
The theme for this year's September observance is "We Recover Together: Family, Friends and Communities." The observance materials are designed to encourage participation and involvement in the observance by local, regional and national organizations and coalitions interested in supporting individuals in recovery from alcohol and drug addiction.
According to a SAMHSA news release, CSAT has developed TV and radio public service announcements that highlight the benefits and effectiveness of addiction treatment. The spots also promote a motivational message of encouragement for those in need of alcohol or drug addiction treatment, which suggest listeners seek help.
Reaching Out
This is the 12th annual Recovery Month effort which seeks to involve people in recovery, treatment providers, elected officials, policy makers, education leaders, judges, health providers, the faith community, and many other sectors in activities that celebrate those in recovery and supports the gains made by those who provide addiction treatment services.Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy G. Thompson said that "Recovery Month is an opportunity for us to reach out and encourage those in need of addiction treatment to seek help. To make sure that services are available where they are needed, President Bush has announce we will conduct a state-by-state inventory of treatment needs and capacity and provide $1.6 billion over the next five years to fund treatment services."
Acting SAMHSA Administrator Joseph H. Autry III said that "Our nation's citizens should not be punished for their addiction. An addiction is not a crime. An addiction is a disease that needs to be treated like any other. Recovery Month celebrates the contributions and achievements of people in recovery."
"Addiction treatment provides a beacon of hope for those ready to undertake the road to recovery," said H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H., CSAT Director. Recovery Month is the perfect vehicle to bring home the message that families, friends and communities must work together to improve the odds for those in need of services," he added.
As the lead coordinator for the Recovery Month observance, CSAT partners each year with other public sector entities, national and local coalitions and organizations to develop the Recovery Month materials as well as other special events.
Community-Based Events
Recovery Month materials and activities include an activity kit, and will feature a series of seven web casts and web chats based on issues related to this year's Recovery Month theme: "We Recover Together: Family, Friends and Community."A total of 19 community-based events designed to spotlight the need for substance abuse treatment and applaud those with the courage to enter treatment and remain in recovery are being planned for September in major U.S. markets. Cities targeted for the Recovery Month community-based activities include: Columbus or Cincinnati, Ohio, Baltimore, Phoenix, Detroit, Chicago, Los Angeles, St Paul-Minneapolis, Washington D.C., Boston, Atlanta, New York, Hartford, Harrisburg and Bucks County, PA, Raleigh-Durham, Portland, OR, Madison, WI, Jacksonville, FL, St Louis or Kansas City, MO, and New Orleans.
The Recovery Month kits, web casts and other materials and information are available at www.samhsa.gov. The web casts topics include: Overview of CSAT and Recovery Month; Treatment 101; What Families Can Do to Prevent and Intervene with Alcohol and Drug Problems; Exploring the Connection Between Addiction and Other Health and Social Problems; Children of Alcohol and Drug-Addicted Parents: Protecting our Future; The Science of Addiction and Treatment; and The Roles of Friends and Community in the Recovery Process. In addition to visiting the Recovery Month site online, kits, materials and information can also be obtained by calling 1-800-729-6686.
