As we wrap up another busy Recovery Month, I wanted to reflect on this important celebration and share 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 increasingly difficult to find someone whose life isn’t touched in some way by the recovery community. This is because the recovery community is vast and diverse.
According to data from the most recent National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) (PDF | 706 KB), of the 29.0 million adults who perceived they had ever had a substance abuse problem, 72.2 percent (or 20.9 million) thought they were in recovery or had recovered from drug or alcohol abuse. Additionally, of the 58.7 million people who had a mental health condition, 66.5 percent (or 38.8 million) considered themselves to be in recovery or recovered.
National Recovery Month celebrates the millions of Americans in recovery and recognizes the contributions and achievements of their loved ones and their many allies. National Recovery Month aims to address the negative attitudes that lead to discrimination against people in recovery and to instill hope in the American public that recovery is possible for all.
This month meant a lot to me personally. I am in long-term recovery, which to me means that I have successfully managed my mental health conditions and have not used alcohol or other drugs since May 15, 2003. As the first person in long-term recovery to lead SAMHSA, and the current Chief Deputy Assistant Secretary, I am so proud of our work to build this community into a constituency of consistency. The recovery community is not afraid to share their stories and in doing so helps educate both the public and policy makers about recovery, while strongly advocating for services and supports to build better lives for themselves, the their families and their communities.
Two years ago, during National Recovery Month, SAMHSA officially established its first Office of Recovery to coordinate recovery-related activities across SAMHSA, with the ultimate goal of promoting recovery across the country. This office recognizes and supports the many paths of the recovery journey that individuals take in their unique process. These may include clinical treatment, medications, faith-based approaches, peer support, family support, self-care, and other approaches.
This month, the Office of Recovery published three newsletters and a short issue to raise awareness about mental health and substance abuse recovery. These documents, which reflect the voice and wisdom of people with mental health and substance use conditions and their families, include Know your rights (PDF | 549 KB), Recovery-Oriented Behavioral Therapies (PDF | 442 KB)and Supporting recovery within the LGBTQI+ community (PDF | 551 KB)and a subject short for Supporting recovery within the LGBTQI+ community (PDF | 275 KB).
At SAMHSA we also look inward. In fact, Assistant Secretary Dr. Miriam Delphin-Rittmon and I recently finalized and signed our commitment (PDF | 145 KB) to become workplace ready for restoration. We 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 colleagues bring their experiences, their voices, and their expertise to the table as we work to infuse recovery-oriented approaches into everything we do at our company.
During this National Recovery Month, she reminded us that no two paths are the same and was encouraged by the fact that recovery is possible and sustainable. I am living proof. We celebrate those who run on the road and applaud all the hard work that they, and the people who support them, put into this effort every day.
If you or someone in your life is on this journey or considering starting 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.
