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National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. September 2008 Join the Voices for Recovery. Real People. Real Recovery
Real People. Real Recovery

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2006 Outcomes for the 17th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month
Join the Voices for Recovery: Build a Stronger, Healthier Community.

September 2006 marked the 17th observance of Recovery Month and was the most successful Recovery Month to date. Along with having more events held this year than any other year, the attendance was also better than ever before. Online activity also increased as well as the viewer and listener impressions of the Recovery Month PSAs. The celebration focused on building a stronger and healthier community and celebrating people and families in recovery from substance use disorders who have overcome stigma, discrimination and other barriers to treatment and recovery support services.

The 2006 theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Build a Stronger, Healthier Community" encouraged every member of the community to join in the effort of helping the people and families going through recovery from substance use disorders to overcome stigma, discrimination, and other barriers to treatment and recovery support services. The effort also educated the public that addiction is a chronic, but treatable, disease and a public health problem that affects everyone. Of particular importance to a wide range of public and private organizations in the substance use disorders treatment field is the Access to Recovery initiative launched by President Bush to help those in need secure the best treatment options available to meet their specific needs.

This year's Recovery Month materials highlighted three areas that communities can continue to improve:

  • Assessing the level of stigma and discrimination that continues to present a barrier for people with substance use disorders who wish to access treatment and working toward educating people to overcome it.
  • Helping people with substance use disorders gain access to treatment and ongoing recovery support services and promoting measures that can make treatment more affordable, equitable, and available.
  • Sharing the knowledge about the effectiveness of treatment for substance use disorders. People who successfully go through treatment programs return to their families and become productive workers and members of the society.