The 18th annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month) is a commemoration that will occur this September - in cities and towns, big and small, nationwide. We celebrate and recognize the valiant efforts of people who are in recovery from substance use disorders, as well as those of their biggest supporters.
This year's theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Saving Lives, Saving Dollars," asks you to take notice of the financial and human costs of substance use disorders, and to understand the benefits that investing in treatment can have on those who enter recovery, their families, and the larger community.
All of us can help ensure that treatment and recovery from substance use disorders is attainable, affordable, and effective. Those who play an integral role in our communities, such as health care providers, employers, and local policymakers, need to continue to expand their knowledge about how deeply substance use disorders can resonate. This comprehensive planning toolkit will provide you with resources so you can help make that happen.
This user-friendly toolkit was developed through an effort of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), through its Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, with guidance from national partner organizations, including treatment providers and other community groups.
This toolkit will guide you through the entire process of planning, launching, and publicizing your Recovery Month activities and events. You can tailor the included media materials to reflect your community's needs and use the background materials to target the key influencers in your area who can create a positive environment for people in recovery. The three sections of this planning toolkit will help you:
- Target key groups to involve - Community leaders, employers, health care providers, and representatives from the justice system can make a difference as part of your campaign.
- Plan events - Activities in your community that focus on this year's theme will help raise awareness about the cost of substance use disorders. Please review the "Planning and Publicizing Events" document enclosed in the "Media Outreach" section to get started.
- Publicize your case - Before Recovery Month kicks off, customize the media outreach templates provided in this toolkit and distribute them to local media outlets. To further your awareness campaign, please promote your events on the Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov by filling out the Recovery Month event form.
- Provide information - Distribute the audience-relevant fact sheets included in the "Targeted Outreach" section of this planning toolkit to your event attendees. You may also use them as outreach pieces to educate others in your community throughout the year.
- Share your success - Keep the spirit of Recovery Month growing by sharing important lessons and accomplishments from your campaign by returning the "Customer Satisfaction Form" to the address listed. After your event, share your successes, materials, and photos on the Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov.
You can download electronic versions of all the materials enclosed here at www.recoverymonth.gov. This Web site also offers additional resources, media updates, public service announcements, Web casts, and news about Recovery Month events across the country. To order extra planning toolkits at no cost, please do so on this site or call 1-800-662-HELP.
Whether this is your first Recovery Month campaign or your 18th, your continued dedication to helping people with substance use disorders get treatment and celebrating those who have started on a path of recovery are essential to your communities. This September, people across the country will be working with you to foster a culture that invests in the health and well-being of people, their families, and the community. Thank you for your continued efforts to make Recovery Month a success.
This section will provide you with event ideas and sample materials to guide you through planning and publicizing your Recovery Month campaign. The first two items will orient you in your planning:
- Planning and Publicizing Events - This document will give you the basics on how to plan and publicize your event.
- Media Tips - These tips will give you background on this year's theme and prepare you for media interviews.
The remaining items will help you promote your Recovery Month events to local media. The beginning of each document explains how and when to use the materials. The templates at the end of each document can be customized with your specific event and local information. You may print them on your organization's letterhead or copy them onto the camera-ready letterhead provided. You can further tailor your materials by using the camera-ready logo sheet included in this kit, or with high-resolution logos available at www.recoverymonth.gov. This section includes:
The materials in this section provide up-to-date background information about substance use disorders. They can be distributed at your Recovery Month events and to the media, as well as sent directly to the audiences written about in each document.
Each audience-specific document contains suggested action steps your targeted audiences can complete to help support Recovery Month during September and year-round. You can use these documents on their own, or add background information from this section and selected materials from the "Resources" section of this toolkit to create a unique information packet to distribute.
The enclosed resources can help you prepare for your Recovery Month events and are a tool for you to target audiences and others in the community. The following resources are included:
Please provide feedback on the available resources from the Recovery Month toolkit. Input from individuals involved in Recovery Month helps to ensure you are receiving adequate tools to host events in your community.
- Customer Satisfaction Form - Helps you share the successes of your activities and provide feedback on this planning toolkit that will help improve future Recovery Month materials
SAMHSA Administrator Terry L. Cline, Ph.D. and CSAT Director H. Westley Clark, along with HHS Secretary Michael Leavitt, encourage Americans to participate in this year's Recovery Month.
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