210-567-3080
National Addiction Recovery Month Forum set for Thursday
(9-19-01)
September is National
Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. It is a time to focus attention
on creating solutions to problems associated with the nationwide epidemic
of addiction, which costs the United States $276 billion annually. Join
the effort to raise awareness about the effectiveness of treatment for
drug and alcohol addiction, take action to reduce the stigma associated
with addiction, and learn about the availability and accessibility of
treatment programs.
San Antonio Demand
Treatment! will present the community forum “We Recover Together:
Family, Friends and Community” from 7 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 20.
The forum, which is free and open to the public, is in room 309L of the
Medical School building at The University of Texas Health Science Center
at San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive. Featured guest speakers will include
Jim Atkinson, noted Texas journalist, author and contributing editor to
Texas Monthly magazine, speaking about his personal road to recovery,
and Susan Yerkes, San Antonio Express-News columnist, recounting her own
victory over addiction.
An open discussion
forum will follow, with expert panelists representing treatment, intervention,
prevention and recovery. Panelists are from the Metropolitan Health Care
District, Community First Health Care Plans, The Patrician Movement, the
Family Services Association, the University Health System, Methodist Healthcare
Ministries and the San Antonio Police Department. Refreshments will follow.
The event is presented by San Antonio Demand Treatment!, a community coalition of 35 city and county partners. San Antonio was one of 16 cities nationwide to receive a grant supporting initiatives to increase treatment for alcohol and drug addiction.
Contact: Kathryn Dattomo or Will Sansom