Clemson SC Mayor and The Alpha Center Call for Support of Drug and Alcohol Treatment Services in the Community

The Mayor of Clemson, SC, Larry Abernathy joined with The Alpha Center today to proclaim September National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month During the month of September, communities nationwide are encouraged to join together to help people with drug and alcohol problems, their families, and friends gain access to treatment services in an effort to heal themselves and the communities in which they live.

Recovery Month celebrates the great strides taken by individuals who have undergone successful treatment and recognizes those in the treatment field who dedicate their lives to helping them. This initiative is part of a national campaign to promote the benefits of substance abuse treatment and embrace the 2001 theme: We Recover Together: Family, Friends, and Community.

"While we have made gains in reducing illicit drug use in our country, we still have far too many people using and abusing drugs and alcohol. In 1999, about 14.8 million Americans were illicit drug users and 12.4 million were considered heavy drinkers," said (name of local official). "Drug and alcohol use is one of the leading causes of family dysfunction and disintegration. As such, its repercussions are great. Because we do not exist in a vacuum, friends of individuals with drug and alcohol problems and the communities in which they live also suffer greatly. Recovery Month is the right time to highlight the benefits of treatment and encourage individuals with drug and alcohol problems to enter treatment and begin their journeys of recovery." According to Jerry Nelson, Program Director for The Alpha Center, "When you consider the nation's drug and alcohol problems in terms of dollars and cents, it adds up that treatment benefits everyone. By one estimate, untreated addiction in the U.S. carries a price tag of $276 billion — that is the equivalent of roughly $1,050 per year for every man, woman, and child in the country. Yet, we could treat all those in need of treatment for as little as $45 per year, a mere fraction of the cost. Of course, the return on investment in terms of restored lives, families, and communities is incalculable."

Several important awareness activities will take place throughout the month of September:

• A community forum will take place on August 31. At the forum, many drug/alcohol and treatment-related topics will be discussed and solutions to associated problems will be presented and addressed.
• Information will be distributed to educators, faith leaders, local employers, and others in the community addressing the effectiveness and cost benefits of treatment and instructing them on how to get involved in ensuring those in need have access in their community.
• Fundraising events will be held to raise money to support existing substance abuse treatment programs and services, or to create new ones.

The Alpha Center, 220 E Greene St, Milledgeville, GA 31061. Tel: 912-453-9263; Fax: .