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Recovery Month Celebrates 15th Year

Cover of Join the Voices for Recovery...Now! 15th Annual National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month - September 2004 Individuals, organizations, and communities nationwide are already planning their participation in the 15th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month this September.

The 2004 theme is "Join the Voices for Recovery . . . NOW!" It underscores the need to educate communities nationwide about the value and significance of alcohol and drug addiction treatment and the kinds of services that are available.

The celebration, coordinated by SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT), highlights the benefits of substance abuse treatment and promotes the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible.

"Today, addiction is the number one health problem in America," said SAMHSA Administrator Charles G. Curie, M.A., A.C.S.W. "Treatment is the best tool we have to address this problem. And, the public awareness generated by Recovery Month is essential to reducing stigma and improving services and supports for people coping with alcohol or drug addiction."

Activities and materials in support of the Recovery Month campaign include a toolkit with comprehensive resource information, the Recovery Month home page on SAMHSA's Web site, TV and radio public service announcements, community forums, and community-sponsored events. All of these materials provide comprehensive options for developing tailored Recovery Month events and activities in every community.

Central to outreach efforts for the month-long celebration is the Recovery Month toolkit, which provides ideas for planning and tools for creating a variety of successful events. The kit features important resources for both treatment providers and consumers, event ideas, and sample materials on how to reach local media. The kit also includes detailed fact sheets for state and local agencies, key constituency groups, and other special audiences.

SAMHSA also hosts an award-winning, interactive Web site for Recovery Month at www.recoverymonth.gov. Additional planning resources, news and updates, articles, and a schedule of events throughout the country are listed in a state-by-state interactive registry. Visitors to the site can also sign up to receive ongoing updates about Recovery Month events.

The Recovery Month Web site also hosts a series of Webcasts that provide information about Recovery Month activities and discuss key issues relevant to individuals in recovery. The first, Road to Recovery 2004, aired in February. Additional Webcasts are scheduled for the first Wednesday of each month and will be archived on the Recovery Month Web site for viewing at any time.

As lead coordinator for Recovery Month, CSAT partners each year with other public sector entities and national and local coalitions to develop materials and host events.

Events will include community forums across the country, inviting experts and legislators to come together to discuss local addiction treatment and recovery issues. Other local events include rallies at state capitals; panel discussions and conferences hosted by local universities, faith groups, and other organizations; proclamations; health and information fairs; run/walk events; and more.

For a Recovery Month toolkit, contact SAMHSA's National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information at P.O. Box 2345, Rockville, MD 20847-2345. Telephone: 1 (800) 729-6686 (English and Spanish) or 1 (800) 487-4889 (TDD). Also available is Recovery Month's virtual toolkit, online at www.recoverymonth.gov.