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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2017 - 2018 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted:	August 31, 2017 10:20 AM
From:	Senator Judith L. Schwank
To:	All Senate members
Subject:	Recovery Month

I will shortly introduce a resolution recognizing September as "Recovery Month", in conjunction with the annual national recognitionof 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 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. In addition, the survey was conducted in 2014, before the current opioid addiction crisis began the tremendous explosion that in recent years has so profoundly affected families and communities with increasing numbers of overdoses and death. While the number of Pennsylvania residents enrolled in substance abuse treatment programs is growing annually, the stark counter reality is that more than nine out of 10 people with reported drug or alcohol problems still receive no treatment, according to the report. Recovery Month is an affirmation that behavioral health is essential to overall well-being, that prevention and effective treatment work and that people can recover from mental illness and substance abuse. We need to continue to encourage open discussion about substance-use and mental disorders in order to foster effective responses to them and to help individuals recognize and acknowledge problems and get help. I hope you will add your support to this message that is so important now.

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