September Is National Recovery Month
This is the 24th year that the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) has been actively involved in promoting recovery by promoting September as National Recovery Month.
Each year SAMHSA creates a poster (see 2013 poster to the right) which carries the message for the recovery theme. You will see that this year’s theme is “Join the voices for recovery together on pathways to wellness!”
The subtle message – there is more than one pathway to wellness
Many things we do in life can be accomplished in a number of ways. Take something as simple as traveling from one place in your town to another. Your means of transportation could vary from walking, riding a bicycle, taking a bus or taxi, or driving your own vehicle. Your route could vary from dirt roads, city streets to state highways to interstate freeways. Your trip could be interrupted by excessive traffic, a motor vehicle accident, a construction detour or even a monsoon downpour which floods the local streets. The bottom line is this: Going from point A to point B can involve many different pathways, so too, there are many pathways to wellness and recovery.
The 2013 theme poster depicts pathways that intersect with major stops along the way: prevention, empowerment, treatment, accomplishment and education. Here you can read the SAMSHA overview: Together on the Pathways to Wellness.
Getting involved in National Recovery Month 2013
There are a number of ways to become involved in National Recovery Month. You can visit the SAMSHA Recovery Month site to find events in your state or regional area, you can like their Facebook page to get involved…you can take a friend to an AA meeting or a conference. Remember…
“Recovery Month promotes the societal benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental and substance use disorders, celebrates people in recovery, lauds the contributions of treatment and service providers, and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, that prevention works, treatment is effective and people can and do recover.”
2013 Art of Recovery Expo, Phoenix, Arizona
One of largest statewide National Recovery Month events is The Art Of Recovery Expo. This is a FREE to the public, one-day event offering educational workshops, resources and solutions organized by TogetherAZ. The event is open to those in recovery, recovery professionals, those seeking recovery, and families and friends of those in recovery, and those needing recovery. This year the keynote speakers will be Dr. Brenda Combs and Mel Pohl, MD, FASAM . Opening remarks will be given by Dr. Westley Clark, Director of the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. The event will be held on Saturday September 21, 2013, from 10:00AM – 5:00PM at the Phoenix Convention Center, Hall F.
Here’s to you and your recovery…join the voices.
