September happens to be a very important month for those in our field. That’s because from now until the 30th, people across the country band together to promote National Recovery Month. Interestingly enough, 2019 marks the 30th anniversary of the movement; which should help raise even more awareness for the cause.
Recovery Month was started by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (or SAMHSA, for short). Every year brings a different theme and a different call to action for people to take part in. 2019 is focused on unity, specifically Joining The Voices For Recovery. As the SAMHSA website emphasizes, “together we are stronger.”
As part of the big anniversary, Recovery Month now has a new logo and several recently filmed Public Service Announcements, which are all available to share on social media. SAMHSA organizers proudly highlighted these new additions, as well as the important theme behind the September launch.
“The 2019 Recovery Month theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger,” emphasizes the need to share resources and build networks across the country to support recovery,” the site explains. “It reminds us that mental and substance use disorders affect us all, and that we are all part of the solution. The observance will highlight inspiring stories to help thousands of people from all walks of life find the path to hope, health, and personal growth.”
As with every year, there is also a helpful toolkit for professionals to use. It is actually a 42-page PDF and includes links to dozens of key resources, as well as important stats relating to the current state of addiction. Email templates are also available, making it easy to blast the message of the month to a designated list of colleagues.
Printable posters are available too which, this year, have a special added touch. Now the message is available in multiple languages, in the hopes of touching recovery advocates across various cultural communities.
And for YouTube users, the video PSAs are extremely helpful to educate local recovery networks. A series of clips are readily available and can easily be embedded on blog pages, Facebook posts or Twitter feeds.
We are very excited to be a part of this movement and encourage all of our friends and followers to support this important initiative. As mentioned above, you can get all of your Recovery Month resources on the official SAMHSA website.
