September 2005 is the 16^th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month celebration, and businesses across the country are encouraged to participate.  This month-long campaign educates that achieving recovery is a collective effort requiring the participation of all sectors of society, including the workplace. 

Core to the Recovery Month message is that substance use disorders are treatable, and that many people in recovery from alcoholism and drug addiction lead successful, productive lives, contributing positively to their workplaces and communities.  For many, a supportive work environment plays a critical role in achieving and maintaining sobriety.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) offers a free Recovery Month Kit to assist businesses and other organizations in supporting and planning Recovery Month activities in their communities.  Included in this toolkit is a fact sheet specifically targeted to employers, titled Helping Workers with Substance Use Disorders Start a Path to Recovery: A Guide for Employers, that provides ideas for how employers can contribute to Recovery Month and strategies for providing affordable treatment options for workers struggling with alcohol and drug problems. 

Also available from CSAT is a new brochure, titled Substance Use Disorders in the Workplace:  A Guide to Recovery for Employees, that offers a free and easy way for employers to educate employees about substance use disorders and sources of help for those who may have them.  Employers can order copies by calling the National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information (NCADI) at 1-800-729-6686 and asking for publication number PHD1081.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Working Partners for an Alcohol- and Drug-Free Workplace program recommends a number of steps employers can take to ensure their workplace is recovery friendly—during Recovery Month and all year round.