September has been designated as National Recovery Month since 1989 and is a national observance intended to support new addiction treatment practices, celebrate the recovery community, and recognize the dedicated addiction service providers that help to make recovery possible.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) launched National Recovery Month to increase awareness of mental health and substance abuse recovery. They wanted to honor those in recovery and give hope that recovery is possible for those dealing with substance abuse.
National Recovery Month is also a time to promote new treatment options and to send a positive message about seeking treatment, as well as the effectiveness of behavioral therapy in treating the overall mental health of the individual.
As overdose deaths continue to increase and more people are impacted by addiction, National Recovery Month has become a time for treatment organizations and programs to celebrate their positive impact. Many hold events to allow people to share their stories, and also to educate the public about substance abuse disorders.
Each year, National Recovery Month has a theme and focus. In 2024, the theme is “Every Person, Every Family, Every Community”, and this will be the permanent theme going forward. The focus is on celebrating people in recovery, beating substance abuse stigmas, and reinforcing the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.
This year President Biden made a proclamation recognizing National Recovery Month and the 21 million people in the country who are in recovery. In the proclamation, the President also announced new resources and funding for programs addressing substance abuse.
SAMHSA works closely with public and private entities involved in substance abuse treatment to create initiatives and provide grant funding, and they time their announcements of these efforts to occur in September.
140 Federal, State and local government entities, as well as non-profit organizations and associations involved in treating substance abuse disorders, make up the Recovery Month Planning Partners group. The Planning Partners are involved in the development and dissemination of materials, as well as promotion and event sponsorship for the Recovery Month initiative.
One of SAMHSA’s initiatives in 2024 is the Gallery of Hope, inviting submissions of visual art created by those living in recovery and their families. The Gallery of Hope is intended to recognize the contributions that people in recovery can make to others, and to encourage them to use their creativity as a way to connect, heal, and feel empowered. The digital gallery is open for viewing until the end of September.
SAMHSA holds several awareness and fundraising events throughout the month. They also provide a Recovery Month Toolkit that organizations can use to promote National Recovery Month which includes:
The National Council for Mental Wellbeing also provides resources to help both organizations and individuals to contribute to National Recovery Month Efforts.
National Recovery Month is important because it seeks to drive positive change on many levels for all those affected by substance abuse. Goals include:
As individuals, we sometimes wonder what we could possibly do to help address a large problem like substance abuse, but small acts can add up to a large impact.
Things you can do include:
Mental health and substance abuse disorders affect all of us in some way, so get involved and help to create new success stories. It takes a village to make an impact, and your contribution does make a difference.
