Posted: | July 17, 2015 11:23 AM |
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From: | Senator Judith L. Schwank |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Recognizing September as Recovery Month |
September marks the 26th observance of "Recovery Month", an annual national observance of the need to prevent, treat, and recover from substance use and mental disorders. The most recent survey by the national Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reports that in 2014 one in every five Pennsylvanians between the ages of 18 and 25 used illicit drugs, nearly one in five between 12 and 20 years old reported at least monthly binge-drinking, and more than three out of five youths between 12 and 17 saw no great risk in having five or more drinks weekly or more often. While the number of Pennsylvania residents enrolled in substance abuse treatment programs is growing annually, more than 93 percent of those with reported drug or alcohol problems received no treatment in 2014, according to the report. Recovery Month spreads the positive message that behavioral health is essential to overall health, and that prevention and effective treatment work and that people can recover from mental illness and substance abuse. I will be offering a resolution recognizing Recovery Month in the Senate so that we encourage people to speak openly about substance-use and mental disorders and to promote means by which individuals can recognize behavioral health issues and reach out for help. Please join me. |
Introduced as SR190