Maryland Department of Health celebrates Recovery Month with peer event and social media awareness campaign
Baltimore, MD – The Maryland Department of Health today announced a social media campaign and a Peer Recovery Celebration event to honor Gov. Wes Moore’s proclamation naming September Recovery Month in Maryland. Read the full proclamation.
“Recovery is a journey, one that can be long and hard. It takes one’s own determination and a village inclusive of family, friends, community, medical and behavioral health professionals, and peers to navigate through that journey. This critical network comprises the foundation of recovery work,” said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Behavioral Health Alyssa Lord. “Individually and collectively, these individuals offer the empathy and understanding that is essential to successfully support people wherever they are on their recovery path.”
Recovery Month is a national observance held every September to raise awareness about substance use, promote evidence-based treatment and practices, support the recovery community, and honor providers and communities who make recovery in all its forms possible.
The department’s Behavioral Health Administration is honoring Recovery Month with a virtual celebration event for Peer Recovery Specialists. This event will allow peers to learn, engage, and, most importantly, celebrate everything their ongoing wellness journey has brought to their lives. This event will take place on Tuesday, Sept. 12. Presentation topics include resilience, recovery and rediscovered passions, and storytelling. Continuing education units will be available.
The Behavioral Health Administration is also launching a social media campaign to raise awareness on substance use and recovery topics for Marylanders. Each week the department’s Substance Use Disorders Facebook page will spotlight a different topic, including:
The campaign aims to spread awareness and show support for Recovery Month, amplify local events and promote hashtags: #EndOverdose, #OverdoseAware, #RecoveryMonth, #RecoveryIsForEveryone
In partnership with the Maryland Addiction Consultation Service, the Department is also promoting a new video featuring Secretary Laura Herrera Scott on how healthcare providers are essential in addressing the overdose crisis — specifically by prescribing buprenorphine for patients with opioid use disorders.
“Despite the overwhelming evidence for buprenorphine’s effectiveness, this treatment has been underutilized,” said Secretary Herrera Scott in the video. “It is now easier for providers to prescribe this medication to their patients.”
More information is available at marylandmacs.org and health.maryland.gov/bha.
