Recovery Month Celebrates 15th Year
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.
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