September is National Recovery Month!
Now in its 30th year, this national observance is sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. The purpose of NRM is to raise awareness and to educate the public about substance abuse, treatment and mental health services that can help anyone suffering with addiction and mental health issues.
What’s the theme of National Recovery Month 2019?
Every year NRM has a specific theme. For 2019, the theme is Join the Voices of Recovery: Together We Are Stronger. The goal of this theme is to encourage individuals to support substance abuse prevention programs and treatment options in their respective communities.
In addition, there will be a focus on the role of first responders, addiction counselors and healthcare professionals play in helping recovering alcoholics and addicts.
NRM tries to emphasize that recovery from addiction is possible, behavioral health is just as important as physical health, drug abuse prevention programs have a positive impact on society, substance abuse treatment needs to be more accessible to the masses, and that stigmas associated with people suffering from substance abuse and mental health issues are false.
NRM originated in 1989 as, Treatment Works Month. The intention of this observation was to honor the hard work done by addiction treatment professionals. Later, this was changed to National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month before finally being dubbed National Recovery Month in 2011 to include people suffering from mental illness.
If you are looking to support National Recovery Month, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration recommends the following:
- Post something in support of NRM on your social media pages.
- Wear a t-shirt that promotes NRM.
- Encourage anyone you know suffering from addiction or mental health issues to get help.
- Volunteer at a treatment facility
- Consider becoming an addiction counselor.
About substance abuse counselors
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that between 2016-26 the substance abuse field has a projected 23% growth rate. In addition, they’ll be roughly 60,300 new positions created in this field during the same time period.
Where can I get the training I need to get into the addiction recovery field?
Hocking College in Nelsonville, Ohio offers an associate’s degree in Addiction Counseling.
This program can provide students with both the classroom training and supervised clinical internship hours they need to graduate. Both elements are required when graduates apply to take their licensure exam offered by the Ohio Chemical Dependency Board in order form them to become Licensed Chemical Dependency Counselors.
Following the successful completion of their licensure exam and work hours required by the licensing board graduates can then begin their careers in this field.
Both the degree and certificate programs meet the licensure recommendations of the International Certification & Reciprocity Consortium. This organization sets the international standards by which all chemical dependency counselors are judged.
What skills will I learn for the addiction recovery field?
Students in the Addictions Counseling program at Hocking College learn a variety of skills through hands-on training. Additional outcomes of this program include:
- How to treat clients from diverse backgrounds
- How to apply their education and training to help benefit their clients
- How to maintain professional standards & establish ethical boundaries with clients
- How to properly gather & compile clinical information
- How to assess and support a client’s diagnosis and proposed treatment program
- How to prepare & update client-oriented documentation in a timely manner
- How to practice clinical leadership skills
- How to interact with allied community support and prevention services
For more information on these programs contact Addiction Studies Program Manager Lori Baker by email at bakerl13412@hocking.edu or by phone at (740) 753-6473.
