This January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is leading a nationwide push to help Americans learn about the importance of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) treatment, through the observance of SUD Treatment Month. 

According to SAMHSA’s national data, 48.4 million people 12 or older (or 16.8%) had a substance use disorder (SUD) in the past year; 27.9 million had an alcohol use disorder (AUD); and 28.2 million had a drug use disorder (DUD); and 7.7 million people had both an AUD and a DUD. The data also show that, among people 12 or older who were classified as needing substance use treatment in the past year, only about 1 in 5 (19.3% or 10.2 million people) received substance use treatment in the past year.

SUD Treatment Month serves to support individuals seeking help for their substance use, along with friends, family, and loved ones. Through its public awareness campaign, SAMHSA seeks to break down treatment barriers, encourage individuals on their treatment and recovery journey, and promote best practices in screening, intervention, and treatment.

Check out SAMHSA’s SUD Treatment Month digital toolkit for information on treatment and recovery resources and strategies for strengthening sobriety and providing encouragement to individuals pursuing recovery.