NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH
Recovery Happens Together
Montgomery, Ala. – Every September, the Alabama Department of Mental Health and community partners join together to celebrate National Recovery Month. This annual observance honors the extraordinary strength and resilience of Alabamians in recovery, raises awareness about mental health and substance use disorders, and sends a message across every county that recovery is possible, and help is always within reach.
Under this year’s theme, Recovery Happens Together, the department is shining a spotlight on the life-changing work happening every day across Alabama to build a more compassionate system of care.
Behind every story of healing is a network of dedicated support.
“To me, Recovery means LIFE… because for me addiction was death. I was mentally, emotionally, and spiritually dead and broken inside, being imprisoned inside myself, thinking there was no way out, the shame and the guilt just piling continuously through 26 years of active drug use. Recovery gave me life, it gave me freedom, and it gave me peace that I never thought possible. My life never much had purpose, the let downs, the continues incarceration, the death that seem to consume me.”
“RECOVERY gave me purpose from all the Tragedy that took place in my life, now I take the tragedy that seems so worthless and hopeless and use them to help others go through their struggles and let them know there is hope, there is freedom, and there is life. I’m not the person that addiction sad I was but the beautiful women that God and recovery helped me to become.”
– Amanda Salter Gray, Peer Support Specialist, People Engaged in Recovery (PEIR)
“National Recovery Month is an opportunity to uplift those who have overcome significant challenges, reduce stigma, and remind communities that recovery is happening every day in Alabama,” said ADMH Commissioner Kimberly Boswell. “Through strong partnerships and a continued investment, we are strengthening support so no one has to walk their journey alone.”
The ADMH, the Alabama Legislature, and Governor Ivey continue to deepen the investment in substance use recovery, through increased access to innovative community resources. To date, more than $34 million in Alabama Opioid Settlement Funds have been appropriated to expand substance use treatment, recovery, and prevention programs.
Recognizing that every individual’s path looks different, ADMH and its statewide provider network offer specialized care designed to meet Alabamians right where they are. From programs for adolescents, adults, women, and individuals with co-occurring disorders, to the powerful presence of Certified Recovery Support Specialists (CRSS) who are individuals with lived experience who walk alongside others in recovery, the state is committed to providing comprehensive, stigma-free support.
Throughout Recovery Month, the Alabama Department of Mental Health invites all Alabamians to join in breaking down barriers, sharing messages of hope, and standing together in support of recovery for all. To learn more, please contact the Office of Public Information, publicinformation.dmh@mh.alabama.gov, 334-242-3417.
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