President’s Recovery Month Proclamation, 2005

National Alliance of Methadone Advocates
President’s Recovery Month Proclamation, 2005

Whereas, substance use disorders are a serious and treatable public health problem affecting thousand of Americans of all ages, races, ethnic backgrounds and having huge medical ,societal and economic costs; and

Whereas, methadone treatment is the “gold standard” for all drug and alcohol treatments and yet is misunderstood because of years of prejudice and ignorance directed at it; and

Whereas, hundreds of thousands of methadone patients have been restored to functional lives and support their families as productive citizens; and

Whereas, methadone patients themselves have born the brunt of the prejudice directed to methadone treatment and are rarely told or treated as recovering persons; and

Whereas, just as drug and alcohol problems effect all areas of the community so to does recovery depends on the cooperation and support of family. friends, neighbors, community leaders, health care professionals and advocates; and

Whereas, methadone advocates throughout the nation are committed to reversing the stigma directed towards at methadone treatment and especially patients; and

Whereas, this September 2005 will be the 16th year that Recovery Month has been celebrated joining together recovering persons to celebrate; and

Whereas, with the theme “Join the Voice for Recovery: Healing Lives, Families and Communities” the 2005 observance of Recovery Month calls attention to the positive impact of treatment and the need for healing the prejudice that methadone patients have faced in their recovery; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I Joycelyn Sue Woods, President of the National Alliance of Methadone Advocates do hereby proclaim September 2005 as -

NATIONAL RECOVERY MONTH AND
THE YEAR OF RECOGNITION OF RECOVERY FOR METHADONE PATIENTS

to encourage and promote a greater understanding of methadone therapy and medication-assisted-treatments and to recognize the recovery of methadone patients.