This year marks the 30th anniversary of National Recovery Month (Recovery Month). In 1999, Recovery Month was launched to spread the message that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can and do recover every day.
Recovery Month promotes and supports evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the strong recovery community, and the dedication of service providers who help make recovery possible. It also serves to help reduce the stigma and misconceptions that cloud public understanding of mental and substance use disorders, which potentially discourage others from seeking help. This September, communities across the nation will reflect on their positive strides to make recovery support services more accessible for everyone who needs them.
Local Treatment and Recovery Support Services
If you or a family member live with mental illness or a substance use condition, you may be struggling to find treatment, manage medications and cope with life’s challenges effectively. You are not alone – help is available, behavioral health conditions are treatable, and you can take practical steps to recover your life. Please visit www.smchd.org/BHtreatment to learn about local behavioral health treatment and recovery resources.
Together We Are Stronger
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 that support recovery in all its forms. It reminds us that mental and substance use disorders affect all of us and that we are all part of the solution.
Community Members
Strong communities make for strong recovery. Families, neighbors, employers, educators, charitable organizations, and faith-based institutions are the backbone of communities that foster recovery among its residents. Research shows that peer support services can provide a valuable approach to guide individuals as they work to maintain recovery.
First Responders
First responders are often the first line of defense to handle challenging, life threatening, and complex situations. Police officers, firefighters, and paramedics provide crisis interventions for individuals with mental and substance use disorders and can direct them to the emotional and physical supports they need. Learn more about Emergency Services in St. Mary’s County.
Healthcare Community
The healthcare community plays a vital role in maintaining the well-being of people across the nation. Primary care practitioners, mental health specialists, clinicians, community health workers, and others screen, diagnose, and treat individuals with mental and substance use disorders. They all play a critical role in the treatment of substance use disorders. Local healthcare providers are encouraged to sign up for the SMCHD Local Health Alert System for important notices and updates from the department.
Youth and Emerging Leaders
School, friends, family, sports, work, technology, peer pressure, social media, intimate relationships—at any given moment, this is just a fraction of what young people may have on their minds. Add to that list factors like alcohol, marijuana, opioids, depression, and anxiety, and it’s clear that our nation’s youth are facing one of the most challenging periods of their lives. An estimated 345,000 adolescents aged 12 to 17 had a substance use disorder and a major depressive episode in the past year. While these statistics are eye-opening, youth and emerging leaders – young people who show passion, drive, innovative thinking, and a commitment to their communities—represent a key population that can promote fresh, creative ideas in the prevention, treatment, and recovery from mental and substance use disorders. They are also building blocks for the future.
Additional Resources
Call 2-1-1 Maryland 24/7/365 to get connected to help- Learn about the Opioid Epidemic and local response efforts
- Get FREE training to learn how to recognize the signs and symptoms of opioid overdose how to administer naloxone
- Learn about free services offered by the SMCHD Harm Reduction Program which helps reduce the spread of infectious disease related to injection drug use, decreases stigma impacting people who inject drugs, and connects people to treatment and recovery support