Recognizing September as National Recovery Month in Philadelphia and Celebrating the 15th Annual PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! to Promote Recovery and Work to End the Stigma Surrounding Drug and Alcohol Addiction.

WHEREAS, September 2016 marks the 27th annual National Recovery Month. This month celebrates the gains people with mental and/or substance use disorders have made towards living healthy and rewarding lives by utilizing substance use treatment and mental health services. The theme for National Recovery Month 2016 is Join the Voices for Recovery: Our Families, Our Stories, Our Recovery!, highlighting the value of family support throughout recovery; and

WHEREAS, According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, an estimated 43.6 million American adults, or 18.1% of American adults, experienced some form of mental illness. Meanwhile, 20.2 million American adults, or 8.4% of the population, had a substance use disorder. From these, 7.9 million American adults had co-occurring mental and substance use disorders; and

WHEREAS, Across the country, millions of Americans have transformed their lives through recovery. Each September, tens of thousands of prevention, treatment, and recovery programs and facilities celebrate the accomplishments made by those who have sought treatment; and

WHEREAS, Nationally, only 11% of patients with substance use disorders get the treatment they need. In Philadelphia, as many as 155,000 people are in need of addiction treatment services, and in 2014 the Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services provided care for 27,000 individuals. There are more than 57 providers offering services through more than 117 facilities across multiple service types, from outpatient to hospital-based services; and

WHEREAS, In Philadelphia, the 15th Annual PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! will take place September 17th at Penn’s Landing. Recovery Walks! is the largest National Recovery Month event in the nation, as 25,000 recovery supporters walked in 2015. The walk demonstrates support for individuals who need access to long-term recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and their families. It also celebrates those in recovery and honors organizations providing prevention, treatment, and recovery support services; and

WHEREAS, PRO-ACT, a program of The Council of Southeast Pennsylvania, is a grassroots organization for people affected by substance use disorders and their family members. By offering community education, peer education and support, advocacy, and recovery support services, PRO-ACT teaches, heals, and helps thousands of people throughout the region; and

WHEREAS, As an increasing number of lives are lost to substance abuse, the positive and hopeful message of the opportunity of recovery must be shared more widely and effectively than ever. Ending the stigma surrounding addiction is an important step towards helping more individuals seek treatment to live fulfilling lives. Events like PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! are essential to changing public perception regarding substance use disorders; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby recognizes September as National Recovery Month in Philadelphia and celebrates the 15th annual PRO-ACT Recovery Walks! to promote recovery and work to end the stigma surrounding drug and alcohol addiction.

RESOLVED FURTHER, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to PRO-ACT, further evidencing the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.

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