As we close out another busy Recovery Month, I wanted to reflect upon this important observance and share about some of our accomplishments this year. Every September since 1989, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has recognized National Recovery Month. These days, it can be harder and harder to find someone whose life is not touched in some way by the recovery community. That’s because the recovery community is vast and diverse.

According to the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (PDF | 706 KB) data, of the 29.0 million adults who perceived that they ever had a substance misuse problem, 72.2 percent (or 20.9 million) considered themselves to be in recovery or to have recovered from their drug or alcohol misuse. In addition, of the 58.7 million people who have had a mental health condition, 66.5 percent (or 38.8 million) considered themselves to be in recovery or to have recovered.

National Recovery Month celebrates the millions of Americans in recovery and recognizes their contributions and accomplishments of their loved ones, and their many allies. National Recovery Month is intended to counter negative attitudes that lead to discrimination against people in recovery and instill hope in the American public that recovery is possible for everyone.

This month meant a lot to me personally. I am living in long-term recovery, which for me means that I successfully managed my mental health conditions and haven’t used alcohol or other drugs since May 15, 2003. As the first person in long-term recovery to have led SAMHSA, and the current Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, I am so proud of our work to build this community into a constituency of consequence. The recovery community is unafraid to share their stories, and in doing so, help educate both the public and policy makers about recovery, while making a strong case for the services and supports to create better lives for themselves, their families, and their communities.

Two years ago, during National Recovery Month, SAMHSA officially established its first-ever Office of Recovery to coordinate recovery related activities across SAMHSA, with the ultimate goal of advancing recovery across the nation. This office recognizes and supports the many pathways of the recovery journey that individuals follow during their unique process. These can include clinical treatment, medications, faith-based approaches, peer support, family support, self-care, and other approaches.

This month, the Office of Recovery published three factsheets and an issue brief to raise awareness about mental health and substance use recovery. These documents, which reflect the voice and wisdom of individuals with mental health and substance use conditions and their families, include Know Your Rights (PDF | 549 KB), Recovery-Oriented Person-Centered Behavioral Treatments (PDF | 442 KB), and Supporting Recovery within the LGBTQI+ Community (PDF | 551 KB), and an issue brief on Supporting Recovery within the LGBTQI+ Community (PDF | 275 KB).

At SAMHSA we’re looking inward as well. In fact, Assistant Secretary Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon and I recently finalized and signed our commitment (PDF | 145 KB) to become a recovery ready workplace. We’ve updated policies to incorporate recovery-friendly principles and created employee resource groups. And through inclusive hiring practices, we have many, many colleagues in recovery or with lived experience working with us. These coworkers bring their experiences, their voices, and their expertise to the table as we work to infuse recovery-oriented approaches throughout everything we do at our agency.

During this National Recovery Month, we were reminded that no two pathways are the same and encouraged by the fact that recovery is attainable and sustainable. I’m living proof. We celebrate those trudging the road and applaud all the hard work that they, and the people who support them, put into this effort each day.

If you or someone in your life is on this journey or considering beginning it, SAMHSA is here for you throughout the process. We invite you to learn more about recovery and recovery support and check in for new updates and announcements.