SAFE Glen Cove Coalition: September is Annual Recovery Month

Every September the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors Recovery Month to increase awareness and understanding of mental and substance use disorders and celebrate the people who recover. Recovery Month also promotes the message that recovery in all of its forms is possible and encourages citizens to take action to help expand and improve the availability of effective prevention, treatment and recovery services for those in need.

The annual theme “Join the Voices for Recovery: Invest in Health, Home, Purpose, and Community” explores how integrated care, a strong community, sense of purpose and leadership contributes to effective treatments that sustain the recovery of persons with mental and substance use disorders. The 2018 observance also aims to increase awareness and encourage audiences to take advantage of the increased dialogue around behavioral health needs and the increased emphasis on tackling our nation’s opioid crisis.

The observance will work to highlight inspiring stories that help thousands of people from all walks of life find the path to hope, health and wellness. In addition, the materials support SAMHSA’s message that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover.

There are millions of Americans whose lives have been transformed through recovery. Since these successes often go unnoticed by the broader population, Recovery Month provides a vehicle for everyone to celebrate these accomplishments. Each September, tens of thousands of prevention, treatment, and recovery programs and facilities around the country celebrate National Recovery Month. They speak about the gains made by those in recovery and share their success stories with their neighbors, friends, and colleagues. In doing so, everyone helps to increase awareness and furthers a greater understanding about the diseases of mental and substance use disorders.

It is important that those struggling with an addiction know there are resources available to them. Anyone can enter recovery and learn the skills to maintain sobriety. Services can range from in-patient treatment to self-help groups. Recovery is a personalized experience that addresses many facets of a person's life from their substance use to a sober support network.

SAFE is the only alcohol and substance use prevention agency in Glen Cove dedicated to the elimination of alcohol and substance abuse in the community. The agency, through the SAFE Glen Cove Coalition, continues to work to change societal norms about alcohol and substance abuse through year round prevention, intervention and education activities and events.

For more information about recovery month please visit the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration(SAMHSA) at http://www.samhsa.gov/recovery.

For more information about SAFE and its community based Coalition programs and initiatives contact SAFE at 516-676-2008 or visit the website at http://www.safeglencove.org or Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/safeglencovecoalition.