September is National Recovery Month
By Staff Reporter
September 19, 2016
Washington, DC - - - National Recovery Month began in 1989. It is observed every September and spreads the message that:
1. Behavioral health is essential to health
2. Prevention works
3. Treatment is effective
4. People recover.
According to the United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH),
National Recovery Month is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). This year's theme is, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Our Families, Our Stories, Our Recovery!
USICH says that the "intersection between homelessness, mental illness, and substance use disorders is well documented and established. USICH goes on to report the following:
HUD's "2015 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report" suggests that:
1. Of the 564,708 persons experiencing homelessness during the 2015 Point-in-Time count, nearly 208,000 had a severe mental illness or chronic substance use disorder.
2. A significant proportion of people who enter emergency shelter or transitional housing programs have spent time in, and may be coming directly from, institutional settings, including substance abuse treatment centers, psychiatric facilities, hospitals, and jails.
3. Adults with disabilities, which includes chronic mental illness and substance abuse disorders, are far more likely to be in a shelter program than adults without disabilities.
According to an article by Katie Jennings, Programming Assistant at USICH, "guiding principles of recovery align with ending homelessness". Included among those guiding principles are the following:
1. Recovery occurs via many pathways
2. Recovery is person-driven
3. Recovery emerges from hope
She goes on to say, "While each individual must find his or her own pathway out of homelessness, we have the responsibility to make those pathways quick, and much easier to navigate by developing coordinated crisis response systems that streamline the delivery of housing assistance and other supports."
She also observes that, "Hope for a better future is a catalyst for change in all of our lives".
In its "Take Action" section, the USICH says, "USICH can't achieve our goal of ending homelessness alone". "We need your help". USICH encourages people to, "Commit to ending homelessness in your community."
Information sources:
US Interagency Council on Homelessness
US Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration