This September, you can encourage your local government officials to sign an official proclamation that designates September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month). When local officials publicly sign such a statement, public attention is drawn to your Recovery Month events and activities, and the community as a whole recognizes that local governments are committed to improving citizens’ access to treatment programs for alcohol and drug use disorders.
Proclamations can be issued by governors, state legislatures, municipalities, counties, cities, or towns. To inquire about a local official’s interest in issuing a Recovery Month proclamation, write a letter or contact a member of his or her communications office three to four months in advance to identify the appropriate process. Keep in mind that some legislatures are not in session during the summer (particularly in August), so you may need to build in extra time to find a local official who can sign your proclamation.
Publicizing Your Proclamation
Once you secure a local official who is willing to issue a proclamation, there are many ways to publicize it to maximize its effectiveness. You can send copies of the proclamation to the “metro desks” of local newspapers. You also can encourage the official to attend a news conference where the proclamation is signed and copies are distributed to reporters. During your news conference, you can display the proclamation by having it photo-enlarged to poster size. Afterward, you can seek permission to display this “visual prop” (and additional copies) in the lobbies of public places, including libraries and government buildings. It also is a good idea to scan the proclamation and post it on your Web site with a link to the official Recovery Month Web site, www.recoverymonth.gov. Icon banners also are available at the Recovery Month Web site.
Writing Your Proclamation
There are two styles to choose from when writing a proclamation. Traditional proclamations begin with a series of clauses starting with the word “Whereas,” which means “because,” “inasmuch as,” or “since.” The “Whereas” clauses set the stage, state the issue or problem, and suggest actions and reasons why the proclamation is being issued. They are followed by one phrase beginning with “Therefore,” which is the actual declaration and request for specific support.
Other, more modern wordings are acceptable in proclamations, as well. You may wish to ask your local official which style he or she prefers.
Following are two sample proclamations for you to consider. The first proclamation follows the more traditional format, while the second is more contemporary. Modify these sample proclamations by inserting information about the problem in your community.
You are encouraged to share your plans and activities for Recovery Month 2004 with SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, your colleagues, and the general public by posting them on the official Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov.
We would like to know about your outreach efforts and community success stories during Recovery Month. Please complete the Customer Satisfaction Form enclosed in the kit. Directions are included on the form.
Please send any of your organization’s Recovery Month promotional samples to: Office of the Director, Consumer Affairs, Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SAMHSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockwall Building II, Rockville, MD 20857.
For additional Recovery Month materials, visit our Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov or call 1-800-662-HELP.
Sample Proclamation 1: Traditional Format
WHEREAS, barriers to accessing treatment facilities are a significant problem for people with alcohol or drug use disorders; and
WHEREAS, such barriers include failures to identify affected people and direct them to treatment, inadequate public and private insurance coverage for treatment services, and shrinking state budgets that limit funding for treatment programs; and
WHEREAS, saluting people who are in recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders, as well as those who have helped them obtain treatment, helps to overcome such barriers by educating the community about the benefits of treatment, and affirming the goal that all people with alcohol and drug use disorders should have access to treatment services; and
WHEREAS, to help achieve this goal, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and [the name of a treatment organization in your community here] invite all residents of [your city or state] to participate in National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month);
NOW, THEREFORE, I, [name and title of your elected official here], by virtue of the authority vested in me by the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim the month of September 2004 as
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
in [name of your city or state here] and call upon the people of [name of your city or state] to observe this month with appropriate programs, activities, and ceremonies supporting this year’s theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery… Now!”
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this [first/other day of month] day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.
______________________________
Signature
Sample Proclamation 2: Contemporary Format
Problems with drugs and alcohol continue to be prevalent in every state in the nation, but there is hope that the tide can turn if more people with alcohol and drug use disorders are given access to treatment. We now know that alcohol and drug use disorders are chronic but treatable diseases that involve brain chemistry, just as diabetes and heart disease are chronic but treatable medical conditions.
Recovery from alcohol and drug addiction is possible, and treatment is effective. People in recovery can and do become gainfully employed, own homes, and rejoin their families and their communities. The challenge is to bring that treatment to all who need it, and there are many such people in our community. More than [number] of [your city or state here]’s residents have alcohol or drug use disorders, yet only an estimated [number] have accessed the area’s treatment facilities.
For many in our community, alcohol and drug use disorders take an enormous toll, but we do not have to let them solve their problem alone. Daily, throughout every part of the United States, men, women, and youth are entering treatment and beginning the road to recovery. Entire families are breaking the cycle of addiction and are embracing recovery through support programs and counseling services. Right here in [your city or state here], we are [talk about specific drug and alcohol treatment programs or initiatives taking place in your community]. Our community salutes those in our neighborhoods who are in recovery and the counseling and program staff who brought them out of the darkness.
That is why I am asking all citizens of [your city or state here] to join me in celebrating this September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month). This year’s Recovery Month theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery… Now!” invites all of us to take immediate action to guide those in our community who need drug and alcohol treatment toward the promising path of recovery.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration; the Office of National Drug Control Policy; and [the state of (your state)/the municipality of (your municipality)/the city of (your city)/name of a treatment organization in your community/etc. here] welcome your participation in Recovery Month.
NOW, THEREFORE I, [name and title of your elected official here], do hereby proclaim the month of September 2004 as
National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
in [name of your city or state here] and encourage all residents to promote the benefits of drug and alcohol treatment and recovery and to support community treatment programs.
