The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) hosted a National Recovery Month Kickoff event on Thursday at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) headquarters in Washington.
SAMHSA Chief of Staff Timothy Westlake and SAMHSA Office of Recovery Director Tonja Myles welcomed recovery experts and leaders to the event, which included a series of panel discussions on peer support communities, treating addiction as a chronic disease, recovery friendly workplaces, and supporting successful transitions back to their communities.
Attendees heard from White House Senior Advisor for Addiction Recovery and Co-Chair of the Great American Recovery Kathryn Burgum and Director at the HHS Center for Faith and Executive Director of the Great American Recovery Monty Burks as part of the panel discussions. Throughout the event, panelists returned to a common message: lasting recovery is supported by strong communities and meaningful connections. Speakers described how recovery housing, peer support, employment opportunities, support groups, and other community-based resources can reinforce one another — helping individuals and families build stability, strengthen their support networks, and sustain recovery over time.
Recovery is transforming lives in every community across America. Through President Trump’s Great American Recovery, SAMHSA is working alongside states, tribes, territories, local governments, faith organizations, employers, families, recovery community organizations, treatment providers, and people with lived experience and families to strengthen the systems that make recovery possible for everyone. National Recovery Month is an opportunity to celebrate that progress, recognize those who make recovery possible, and invite every American to be part of building recovery-ready communities.
View SAMHSA’s National Recovery Month Toolkit to download and share messages of hope and healing through recovery.