News from the worlds of research and clinical practice
Volume 3, No. 13: Recovery Month
Aug 15, 2001

Brought to you by FAX, email, and on the web by the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Technology Transfer Center

Funded by Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, SAMHSA

Welcome to Addiction Exchange, a forum for the exchange of clinical practice and research information among clinicians, scientists, educators, and administrators in the field of addiction. This issue is devoted to the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT)'s 12th annual National Alcohol & Drug Addiction Recovery Month, occurring each September. Promotion of Recovery Month is a timely, very effective way to make a big impact on publicity of treatment and recovery services and needs in your community.

In keeping with the five goals in CSAT's recently released National Treatment Plan (Closing the Treatment Gap, Reducing Stigma, Improving Treatment Systems, Connecting Services and Research, and Addressing Workforce Issues), this year's Recovery Month theme, "We Recover Together: Family, Friends and Community," hopes to inspire all levels of government, business and society to work toward improving treatment access, availability and quality at all levels. It also recognizes the "heroes" who have reached out for help and are in recovery. The theme also emphasizes the united front that is necessary to encourage individuals with addictions to seek help and remain sober.

CSAT (a part of the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services) and its planning partners have organized this year's campaign materials into a colorful toolkit, making it easy for anyone to publicize Recovery Month and draw into the campaign any and all stakeholders - those in recovery, families, treatment providers, elected officials, policymakers, education leaders, judges, health providers, the faith and criminal justice communities, diverse cultural groups, the media, insurers, and others. Nineteen CSAT-sponsored community forums and events to be held all over the country during September will spotlight the need for treatment, allow participants to brainstorm ideas for local treatment and recovery needs, and applaud those in recovery. (Two forums are planned in the Mid-Atlantic ATTC region: one in Baltimore and another in Raleigh-Durham.) The national Recovery Month kick-off news event is planned for September 6 in Washington, D.C., which also will host a forum and a "Run for Recovery" September 16.

Here are some facts, ideas and resources from the toolkit:

• Of the five million people with severe drug or alcohol addiction, less than half receive treatment.
  
• Addiction is a chronic medical illness - often the result of some combination of genetic heritability, personal choice, and environmental factors.
  
• Addiction is treatable - not as an acute illness, but as the more long-term, chronic, relapsing illness it really is.
  
• Whether or not a person stays in treatment depends on a number of factors, including motivation, degree of support by family and friends, and pressure to stay in treatment from the criminal justice system, child protection services, employers, or the family.
  
• Every $1 invested in addiction treatment programs yields a return of between $4 and $7 in reduced drug-related crime, criminal justice costs, and theft alone.
  
• Family members and friends of individuals with drug and alcohol problems also experience physical, emotional, and spiritual repercussions; therefore they, too, need ongoing support programs and services.
  
• Treatment for drug and alcohol addiction cuts drug use in half and reduces criminal activity up to 80 percent.

Here are a few promotional ideas for you or your organization to try in your community. Keep in mind the target audience: health professionals, policymakers and insurers; community-based organizations; faith community; educators and schools; criminal justice professionals; parents and families; employers; the media; and organizations serving racial, ethnic and cultural groups.

• Community forums To engage others in a dialogue about how to improve addiction treatment services in the community, consider organizing it around a widely publicized event such as a "Run for Recovery."
  
• Host an open house at a treatment facility Conduct a tour, distribute informational brochures, show a video about the facility.
  
• News releases Send out a year-to-date news release to local newspapers and community publications highlighting activities your organization has conducted in the past year - breadth of services provided, number of people served, summary of outreach activities, etc.
  
• Public speaking opportunities Have your executive director and a treatment program graduate speak at hospital seminars, worksites, school workshops and other locations about the importance of treatment.
  
• Newsletter articles Write a short article on the benefits of treatment for local newsletters - those published by hospitals, churches, schools, and employee or community groups - to include in their September issue.
  
• Special events Be creative. Hold a silent auction with prizes donated by area businesses to benefit a nonprofit drug and alcohol treatment center. Sponsor a run/walk and ask a local sponsor to donate T-shirts and prizes.
  
• Exhibit booths Set up a booth at a local or state fair, hospital, school, or community event to disseminate information about treatment options, etc.
  
• Public service announcements Use free PSAs to publicize via your local radio stations.

The Recovery Month toolkit, as well as other materials and information, are available online at: http://www.health.org/recoverymonth or at http://www.samhsa.gov, or by calling 1-800-729-6686.

Go to http://www.mid-attc.org/wwwboard/wwwboard.shtml to discuss this topic on the Addiction Exchange Forum.

We hope you find Addiction Exchange useful in your work. Please let us know about your information needs by emailing the editor of Addiction Exchange at mid-attc@mindspring.com, or discuss your training needs by contacting us by email or telephone at (804)-828-9910. Visit the Mid-ATTC website at http://www.mid-attc.org.

Please copy and distribute to your colleagues and students!!!!