WHEREAS, National Recovery Month is observed every September to increase awareness and understanding of mental health and substance use disorders. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration states that National Recovery Month began in 1989 to help recognize and support new recovery practices, with studies to help make recovery safe and available to all; and
WHEREAS, According to data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in 2024 there were an estimated 80,391 deaths due to drug overdoses, with 1,052 unintentional overdoses occurring in Philadelphia; and
WHEREAS, Addiction has touched the lives of countless families in Philadelphia and across the nation in more ways than one. The National Institute on Drug Abuse estimates that between 2011 and 2021, 321,566 children in the United States lost a parent to drug overdose, and according to the National Center for Fatality Review and Prevention, from 2018 to 2022, 985 deaths in children ages 1-17 years old, due to opioid ingestion; and
WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia remains committed to supporting prevention, treatment, recovery programs, and community resources that save lives and offer hope. According to Pennsylvania State Rehabs, in the City of Philadelphia alone, there are around 80 recovery centers and programs, each offering a variety of treatment options, including inpatient, outpatient, partial hospitalization program, detox, aftercare, and more; and
WHEREAS, Neighborhoods with our most vulnerable populations, like Kensington, North Philadelphia, Glenwood, Fairhill, and others have been hit hardest by the opioid epidemic, marking a dramatic increase in overdoses over the past decade compared to other major metropolitan cities; and
WHEREAS, National Recovery Month is an opportunity to renew the conversation around addiction, reaffirm our support for Philadelphians currently struggling, and shed new light on legislation and policy that can improve these conditions; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, Recognizes the month of September as “National Recovery Month” in Philadelphia, and acknowledges the ongoing struggle of addiction in our City.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this Resolution be presented to recovery providers at a future session of Council as a symbol of the profound respect and admiration felt by this legislative body and the citizens of Philadelphia.
End