Mental and/or substance use disorders affect millions of Americans and directly touch the lives of individuals, family members, neighbors, and colleagues. Given the widespread impact and societal cost of these behavioral health conditions, it’s important for communities to make prevention, treatment, and recovery support available and accessible for all who need them

Each September, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) sponsors National Recovery Month, an observance that increases awareness and understanding of mental and/or substance use disorders while encouraging those in need to seek treatment for these conditions.

This year’s theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Visible, Vocal, Valuable!” highlights opportunities for recovery education, support, and celebration. The theme encourages communities to: be visible by knowing the prevalence of mental and/or substance use disorders; be vocal by noticing warning signs and symptoms; and be valuable by raising awareness of the resources available to help.

Did you know?

• Among adults aged 18 or older, 43.8 million (18.5 percent of adults) had any mental illness in the past year.
• Among adults aged 18 or older, 34.6 million (14.6 percent of adults) reported receiving mental health services in the past year.
• On average, more than 33,000 Americans died each year between 2001 and 2009 as a result of suicide—more than 1 person every 15 minutes.
• Among people aged 12 or older, 21.6 million people (8.2 percent of this population) were classified with substance dependence or abuse in the past year.
• By 2020, mental and substance use disorders will surpass all physical diseases as a major cause of disability worldwide.
• Research shows that family supports play a major role in helping to prevent mental and/or substance use disorders, identifying when someone has a problem, and connecting those in need with treatment resources and services they need to begin and stay on their recovery journey.

For additional information or to find an event near you, please visit www.RecoveryMonth.gov.