THE SECRETARY OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
WASHINGTON. D.C., 20201

Dear Recovery Month Participant:

As I begin working on the Nation's health issues, I welcome the opportunity to support the "National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month" (Recovery Month), now in its 12th year of celebration. I am privileged to join your organization and many others in promoting this year's theme– "We Recover Together: Family, Friends, and Community." As you know, substance abuse is a national health problem, affecting millions of Americans. Not only does substance abuse ravage the lives of those suffering from addiction, it is an illness that affects everyone in our Nation.

There has never been a better time to unite our efforts and resources. It is together that we can spread the message that recovery from substance abuse in all its forms is possible. Not only does treatment save lives, but it also saves money and resources. This Recovery Month effort is an important step in bringing to light the need to dedicate ourselves to helping make our country drug-free.

Thank you for your continued efforts. Your commitment to the Nation's health is greatly admired and appreciated.

Sincerely,


Tommy G. Thompson
Secretary of Health and Human Services

Center for Mental Health Services
Center for Substance Abuse Prevention
Center for Substance Abuse Treatment
Rockville MD 20857

Dear Friends,

This is the twelfth year of the "National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month" (Recovery Month) celebration. Recovery Month highlights the societal benefits of substance abuse treatment, lauds the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from substance use in all its forms is possible. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) sponsors the celebration to encourage citizen action to help expand and improve the availability of effective addiction treatment for those in need. Substance use continues to be a national public health problem affecting millions of people, and it is critical to educate the public on the crucial role substance abuse treatment plays in reclaiming lives ravaged by alcoholism and drug addiction.

This year's theme, "We Recover Together: Family, Friends, and Community" is intended to focus the Nation's attention, for the month of September, on the needs of Americans who severely need substance abuse treatment. According to the National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, 57 percent of people with a severe drug problem – about 2.9 million people in need of treatment – did not receive it.

The enclosed materials are designed to provide information and resources to be utilized to spread the word that those suffering from addiction can be helped and freed through treatment. In addition, the kit is geared to show others in your State and community that greater local resources, health insurance coverage and employer support will result in less crime, more productive schools and workplaces, earlier intervention, and savings to the health care system. Specifically, these materials target parents and families, schools and the education community, health policymakers and insurers, criminal justice systems, health professionals, community organizations, the faith community and employers. In addition, the kit includes information and resources needed to launch a comprehensive public education initiative to support local print and broadcast media efforts. It is our hope that as SAMHSA and CSAT work on Recovery Month on a national scale you will work at the local level to share this information with others in your State and community who can make a difference for those in need of treatment, and support those in recovery.

We thank you for your efforts to educate others on the benefits of addiction treatment. We can make a difference and help reduce this national epidemic that touches every American. Together, we can help families, friends and communities reclaim their lives from substance use.

Office of the Administrator—Office of Applied Studies—Office of Communications—Office of Equal Employment Opportunity & Civil Rights—Office of Managed Care—Office of Minority Health—Office of Policy & Program Coordination—Office of Program Services

Media Outreach Materials  /  Targeted Outreach Materials  / Recovery Month Partners /   Resource Materials