Recovery and Recovery Support
SAMHSA's working definition of recovery defines recovery as a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential. Recovery signals a dramatic shift in the expectation for positive outcomes for individuals who experience mental and substance use conditions or the co-occurring of the two.
On March 1, 2022, President Biden announced his administration’s strategy to address our nation’s mental health crisis as outlined in the 2022 Presidential Unity Agenda. To meet this goal, SAMHSA collaborated with federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local partners including peer specialists to develop the National Model Standards for Peer Support Certification.
2 in 3 adults who ever had a mental health problem considered themselves to be recovering or in recovery.
7 in 10 adults who ever had a substance use problem considered themselves to be recovering or in recovery.
50.2 million American adults considered themselves to be in recovery from their substance use and/or mental health problems.
Guiding Principles
Hope, the belief that these challenges and conditions can be overcome, is the foundation of recovery. A person’s recovery is built on his or her strengths, talents, coping abilities, resources, and inherent values. It is holistic, addresses the whole person and their community, and is supported by peers, friends, and family members.
The process of recovery is highly personal and occurs via many pathways. It may include clinical treatment, medications, faith-based approaches, peer support, family support, self-care, and other approaches. Recovery is characterized by continual growth and improvement in one’s health and wellness and managing setbacks. Because setbacks are a natural part of life, resilience becomes a key component of recovery.
The Four Major Dimensions of Recovery
- Health - Overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) or symptoms - for example, abstaining from use of alcohol, illicit drugs, and non-prescribed medication if one has an addiction problem- and for everyone in recovery making informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional well-being
- Home - Having a stable and safe place to live
- Purpose - Conducting meaningful daily activities, such as a job, school volunteerism, family caretaking, or creative endeavors, and the independence, income, and resources to participate in society
- Community - Having relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope
The 2024 Gallery of Hope: Artistic Expressions of Recovery Across the Nation
The 2024 Gallery of Hope: Artistic Expressions of Recovery Across the Nation
Recognizing the transformative power of creative arts in advancing recovery, in May 2024, the Office of Recovery launched the Art of Recovery, inviting visual art submissions from individuals with lived experience and their families. The digital gallery features over 280 selected artworks in celebration of National Recovery Month. View the Gallery of Hope.
Recovery Newsroom
Recovery Newsroom
Get the latest announcements on SAMHSA’s effort to address recovery support. Access the latest news, upcoming events, and more.
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Recovery Funding
Recovery Funding
- Statewide Consumer Network Grant FY22
- National Consumer and Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Grant FY20
- Statewide Family Network Program FY22
- Building Communities of Recovery FY22
- Recovery Community Services Program FY20
- Enhancement and Expansion of Treatment and Recovery Services for Adolescents, Transitional Aged Youth, and their Families FY18
- Fiscal Year 2024 Innovative Coordinated Access and Mobility Notice of Funding Opportunity
- Notice of Special Interest (NOSI): Strategies to Address Stigmatizing Beliefs and Policies Affecting People Who Use Drugs
- SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK)
- Peer Recovery Center of Excellence
- Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center – The Family Cafe
- Doors to Wellbeing
- National Empowerment Center TAC
- Peer Support Coalition of Florida
- YouthMOVE Peer Center
- National Family Support Technical Assistance Center
- BRSS TACS
- Tribal Training and TAC
- National Harm Reduction TAC
- Rural SUD Info Center
- Peer Support Specialists: A Growing Mental Health and Addictions Workforce
- The Intersection of Physical Activity, Wellness, and Recovery
- Supporting Recovery within the LGBTQI+ Community Issue Brief
- Recovery-Oriented, Person-Centered Behavioral Treatment
- Know Your Rights
- LGBTQIA+ and Recovery
- National Recovery Month
- Best Practices for Recovery Housing
- Recovery Summit Executive Summary (PDF | 351 KB)
- SAMHSA Inclusion Policy (PDF | 195 KB)
- Allowable Recovery Support Services RSS Expenditures through the SUBG and the MHBG (PDF | 464 KB)
- Recovery from Substance Use and Mental Health Problems Among Adults in the United States (PDF | 439 KB)
- Building New Horizons: Opening Career Pathways for Peers with Criminal Justice Backgrounds
- Consumer Operated Services Program EBP Toolkit
- Other Recovery Publications
Get the latest announcements on SAMHSA’s effort to address recovery support. Access the latest news, upcoming events, and more.
- Recovery to Practice Webinars
- I Don't Know How To: Parent Series
- Recovery Month Equity Week Webinars
- SAMHSA Tribal Recovery Summit 2023
Peer Support Webinars
Recovery Exchange Webinars
- Region 3 Community Meeting (PDF | 733 KB)
- Region 5 Community Meeting (PDF | 1.3 MB)
- Peers and Psychiatry in Dialogue - Meeting Summary (PDF | 461 KB)
- Recovery Research Technical Expert Panel - Executive Summary & Report (PDF | 1.1 MB)
- Peer Possibilities: National Peer Workforce Summit - Executive Summary and Meeting Report (PDF | 640 KB)
- Peer-Operated Warm Lines Technical Experts Panel - Executive Summary and Meeting Report (PDF | 471 KB)
- Lifting Lived Experience Across Criminal Justice Settings - Executive Summary and Report (PDF | 589 KB)
- Digital Recovery Support Innovations Technical Expert Panel Executive Summary & Report (PDF | 635 KB)
- The Intersection of Recovery Housing & Housing First— A Dialogue on Collaboration and Partnership (PDF | 700 KB)
- Collegiate Recovery Executive Summary & Report (PDF | 813 KB)
- SAMHSA Program to Advance Recovery Knowledge (SPARK)
- Peer Recovery Center of Excellence
- Consumer Supporter Technical Assistance Center – The Family Cafe
- Doors to Wellbeing
- National Empowerment Center TAC
- Peer Support Coalition of Florida
- YouthMOVE Peer Center
- National Family Support Technical Assistance Center
- BRSS TACS
- Tribal Training and TAC
- National Harm Reduction TAC
- Rural SUD Info Center
- Peer Support Specialists: A Growing Mental Health and Addictions Workforce
- The Intersection of Physical Activity, Wellness, and Recovery
- Supporting Recovery within the LGBTQI+ Community Issue Brief
- Recovery-Oriented, Person-Centered Behavioral Treatment
- Know Your Rights
- LGBTQIA+ and Recovery
- National Recovery Month
- Best Practices for Recovery Housing
- Recovery Summit Executive Summary (PDF | 351 KB)
- SAMHSA Inclusion Policy (PDF | 195 KB)
- Allowable Recovery Support Services RSS Expenditures through the SUBG and the MHBG (PDF | 464 KB)
- Recovery from Substance Use and Mental Health Problems Among Adults in the United States (PDF | 439 KB)
- Building New Horizons: Opening Career Pathways for Peers with Criminal Justice Backgrounds
- Consumer Operated Services Program EBP Toolkit
- Other Recovery Publications
Get the latest announcements on SAMHSA’s effort to address recovery support. Access the latest news, upcoming events, and more.
- Recovery to Practice Webinars
- I Don't Know How To: Parent Series
- Recovery Month Equity Week Webinars
- SAMHSA Tribal Recovery Summit 2023
Peer Support Webinars
Recovery Exchange Webinars
- Region 3 Community Meeting (PDF | 733 KB)
- Region 5 Community Meeting (PDF | 1.3 MB)
- Peers and Psychiatry in Dialogue - Meeting Summary (PDF | 461 KB)
- Recovery Research Technical Expert Panel - Executive Summary & Report (PDF | 1.1 MB)
- Peer Possibilities: National Peer Workforce Summit - Executive Summary and Meeting Report (PDF | 640 KB)
- Peer-Operated Warm Lines Technical Experts Panel - Executive Summary and Meeting Report (PDF | 471 KB)
- Lifting Lived Experience Across Criminal Justice Settings - Executive Summary and Report (PDF | 589 KB)
- Digital Recovery Support Innovations Technical Expert Panel Executive Summary & Report (PDF | 635 KB)
- The Intersection of Recovery Housing & Housing First— A Dialogue on Collaboration and Partnership (PDF | 700 KB)
- Collegiate Recovery Executive Summary & Report (PDF | 813 KB)