Recovery Month 2004 Kick-Off
The Recovery Month 2004 celebration began with a major press event on September 9, 2004 in the Holeman Lounge at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C. The press event highlighted the release of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, which surveyed 67,784 Americans to determine the latest statistics on substance abuse. Speakers at the press conference included:
- John P. Walters, Director, White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
- Charles G. Curie, Administrator, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
- Stephen J. Pasierb, President and CEO, Partnership for a Drug-Free America
- Dr. Deni Carise, Director of Treatment Systems, Treatment Research Institute and Clinical Professor, University of Pennsylvania, and person in recovery
- Rachel Cooke, college student in recovery from methamphetamine abuse
The National Survey on Drug Use and Health provides a comprehensive and accurate snapshot of substance abuse trends for the past year. The annual survey is the largest of its kind, and provides annual estimates of the prevalence of illicit drug, alcohol, and tobacco use in the United States, while monitoring trends over time. The 2003 survey showed nearly 19.5 million Americans age 12 and older were using illicit drugs-over eight percent of the population. Almost Fifty-four percent of youth, a decline from previous years, reported that marijuana was fairly or very easy to obtain. The statistics continue to be troubling: 70.8 million Americans reported current use of a tobacco product, while 18.0 percent of pregnant women aged 15 to 44 smoked cigarettes.
Building on the momentum generated by the 2004 Recovery Month kick-off event, The National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) held an event of its own focused on legacy, leadership, and recovery. NCADD simultaneously held "Sixty Years of Leadership and Service," a conference dedicated to the legacy of recovery and challenging stigma. The conference was held September 8 - 11, 2004 at the Willard Hotel and served to extend the kick-off celebration for Recovery Month. Additionally, on September 9th a luncheon was hosted by NCADD to further celebrate Recovery Month.
SAMHSA-Sponsored Community Forums/Events
Working closely with partners in major cities across the country, SAMHSA sponsored 35 community forums/events where individuals in recovery, experts, and legislators discussed local addiction treatment issues. Together, these SAMSHA-sponsored community events reached 31,450 people throughout the nation. As in past years, forums/events included an emphasis on multicultural populations.
SAMHSA-sponsored cities that hosted official Recovery Month 2004 community forums included:
- Boston, Massachusetts
- Brooklyn, New York
- Buffalo, New York
- Chicago, Illinois
- Columbus, Ohio
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Dallas, Texas
- Des Moines, Illinois
- Detroit, Michigan
- Hartford, Connecticut
- Honolulu, Hawaii
- Houston, Texas
- Jersey City, New Jersey
- Los Ángeles, California
- Louisville/Frankfort, Kentucky
- Madison, Wisconsin
- Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minneapolis
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Orlando, Florida
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Phoenix, Arizona
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Pocatello, Idaho
- Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina
- Rapid City, South Dakota
- Riverside, California
- Sacramento, California
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- San Antonio, Texas
- San Diego, California
- San Francisco, California
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Seattle, Washington
- Tampa, Florida
- Tulsa, Oklahoma
The SAMHSA-sponsored community forums/events began and/or continued a community discussion on alcohol and drug use recovery and established a community environment supporting treatment programs that help individuals reclaim their lives. They helped to highlight the need to improve access to recovery among the large number of Americans who have difficulty obtaining treatment for alcohol or drug use disorders. Community events addressed local community issues and defined specific objectives and action steps to broaden support and access for individuals in recovery, their families, and friends.
In addition, in 2004 SAMHSA sponsored seven Recovery Month Major League Baseball (MLB) events attended by more than 4,000 individuals and drawing local recognition and media attention for recovery issues. Lou Johnson, former Los Angeles player and member of the Los Angeles Drug and Alcohol Advisory Committee, was featured as the supporter at the Los Angeles Dodgers game on September 10, 2004 and "Sudden Sam" McDowell, former major league player and native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, presented at the September 21, 2004 Pittsburgh Pirates game. The first lady of Ohio, Mrs. Hope Taft, has attended Recovery Month MLB events in both 2003 and 2004. MLB events were held in the following cities:
- Atlanta Braves - September 22
- Baltimore Orioles - September 26
- Cleveland Indians - September 16
- Los Angeles Dodgers - September 10
- Minnesota Twins - September 16
- Pittsburgh Pirates - September 21
- St. Louis Cardinals - September 15
Locally Sponsored Community Events
As of January 2005, 47 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico had held 417 events in 212 cities, an increase of 44% over 2003 Recovery Month events, reaching more than 940,000 people-this includes the SAMHSA-sponsored local community events and MLB initiative. To promote local community events and inspire more participation, community organizers were encouraged to list their local events and activities on the official Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov. The events list page was configured as a map of the United States. Viewers could click directly on a state or select it from a drop down menu in order to view the events that took place in their state.
To generate such a large number of activities and events takes the dedication of many. Recovery Month 2004 celebrations were outstanding and brought in a record number of participants, thanks to widespread community planning and outreach.
A sample of other highlights throughout the month of September included the following (a complete listing is available on the 2004 Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov):
Alcohol: The Under-Recognized Drug; A Continuing Education Workshop for Licensed Professions, Ridgeview Institute Professional Building North, Smyrna, Georgia, September 10, 2004
This seminar presented an overview of the treatment of alcohol in today's culture, including history, development of the disease model, prevalence, marketing, and impact. The presenter, Brian L. Moore, Ph.D., Founder and Director of Lifetime Interventions, Inc. provided information and tools related to the assessment of alcoholism, the steps involved in the intervention process and how to prepare clients to effectively participate in a structured intervention.
National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of New Jersey Recovery Walk, Liberty State Park, Jersey City, NJ, September 18, 2004
The annual Recovery Walk and Rally with leaders and advocates of recovery joined their voices together to honor and celebrate recovery.
"Step Up" to Recovery, Festival Center, Washington, D.C., September 26, 2004
"Step Up" to Recovery was a family-friendly and emotionally moving event that recognized and encouraged graduates of the Intensive Recovery Program. A Q&A session was provided for visitors who desired to know the "bigger picture".
