It is estimated that 22.35 million (9.1%) Americans are in recovery from a substance use disorder (SUD) (Kelly et al., 2017). Thirty-one years ago SAMHSA designated September as Recovery Month with the goal of changing the public face of recovery by educating Americans that SUD treatment and recovery support services help individuals live healthy and rewarding lives in their communities. Recovery Month celebrates these millions of people in recovery from substance use and mental health issues, reminding us that behavioral health is an essential component to overall health, that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people can, and do, recover.
Peer recovery support services and Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) are designed to help individuals with substance use and mental health issues enter into and navigate systems of care and stay engaged in the recovery process. Recovery Happens in the Mountain Plains was a series of virtual recovery support events created by participants and staff of RCOs located in the HHS Region 8 states of Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming. With the support of the Mountain Plains ATTC, the events were conducted in September to "Celebrate Connections" with recovery events featuring speakers in recovery, live music from musicians in recovery, and an opportunity to learn more about how to connect with the RCOs in Region 8 including: Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness; Advocates for Recovery Colorado; Springs Recovery Connection; Face It Together; Recover Wyoming; and The Phoenix. The recovery support events were conducted virtually on September 14, 16, 17, and 21, 2020. Each event was recorded and is accessible for download below.
