The National Drug Commission is currently celebrating the 15th Annual National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month with the theme, ?Join the Voices for Recovery Now.?

This theme supported, by the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) in America, is a universal initiative which celebrates people in recovery who have overcome stigma, denial and other barriers to treatment, and as a result, are leading healthy and productive lives.

The Recovery Month effort aims to promote the benefits of alcohol and drug disorder treatment, laud the contributions of treatment providers and promotes the message that recovery from alcohol and drug use disorders in all its forms is possible.

This year, Recovery Month focuses on improving access to recovery among those who have difficulty obtaining treatment for alcohol or drug use disorders.

The National Drug Commission (NDC) in support of this national event is launching a media campaign to highlight treatment and its success in Bermuda.

NDC Treatment Coordinator Joanne Dill, indicates that the major event will be the official opening of the Women?s Treatment Centre.

Over the past two years, women seeking residential treatment for substance abuse have only had limited access to treatment as there were no residential treatment options available. Another major event will highlight the NDC?s ten-year effort to address the alcohol and drug disorder problem of Bermuda by outlining its work and successes, both past and present.

Two training events geared at improving the skills of treatment providers are also scheduled to occur. Both events are co-sponsored by the National Drug Commission (NDC) and the Bermuda Addictions Certification Board (BACB).

The first training event, ?Treatment Interventions Training?, will be facilitated by the NDC Research Officer, Dr. Ken-Garfield Douglas. This will be held on September 14 and 15.

The second training event, ?Cultural Diversity Training?, facilitated by Jonathan Lofgren, vice-president Florida Certification Board, will be held on September 31 and October 1 and will close out the Recovery Month activities.

The National Drug Commission invites the community to join them as they work towards improving access to treatment, to celebrate the successes of people in recovery and to acknowledge the men and women in the treatment field who dedicate their lives to helping individuals with alcohol and drug disorders.