Article from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration SAMHSA
Drug overdose deaths reached 93,331 in 2020 – the highest number ever recorded. According to the 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, just over 40 million people over the age of 12 reported having a substance use disorder in the year leading up their response. This evolving overdose and addiction crisis requires an innovative and comprehensive mitigation strategy, aimed at keeping people alive and meeting them where they are with the treatment and support they need. The Biden-Harris Administration supports the full continuum of care to deal with the chronic nature of substance use disorders.
In addition to addressing overdose, suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States and responsible for one death every 11 minutes. In 2020, more than 12 million adults, .
Across the continuum of care prevention strategies work to prevent or delay the use and misuse of substances, prevent suicide, promote mental health, mitigate problems among populations at risk for mental and substance use disorders, foster resilience, and prevent the onset among populations showing early signs and related problem behaviors.
Recovery-oriented care and recovery support systems help people with mental and substance use disorders manage their conditions successfully, sustain long-term recovery, and lead full lives in our communities. Offered in a variety of settings, peer recovery support services (PDF | 416 KB), are non-clinical and include peer support services and engagement, recovery housing, recovery community centers, peer bridger programs, peer-run crisis respites, warm lines, and recovery programs in high schools and colleges. The recovery movement also provides an opportunity for people to advocate for improvements in prevention, harm reduction, treatment and recovery services. Equally, the recovery movement can contribute to efforts to reduce negative public attitudes as well as discrimination embedded in public policies and the health care system. Scaling up the capacity and infrastructure of these programs will create strong resource networks to equip communities to support recovery for everyone.
Prevention and recovery services are critical elements of a health safety net for communities. Let us sustain and bolster these services, and work together to ensure seamless support for people in recovery and their families. Our mutually reinforcing activities enable us to work collectively and coordinate as a cohesive system, take what we’re learning and infuse this information into our respective networks, and adjust how we carry out our work to create hope, build resilience, and strengthen our communities.
For more information, learn about some of SAMHSA’s recovery support resources: SAMHSA’s Working Definition of Recovery, the Peer Recovery Center for Excellence,