Reaching Diverse Audiences: Promoting Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery From Mental and/or Substance Use Disorders

Background: National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), a Federal campaign sponsored by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA) within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), promotes the benefits of preventing and overcoming mental and/or substance use disorders. Recovery Month educates that prevention works, treatment is effective, and people recover.

Program background: Mental and/or substance use disorders do not discriminate, and their effects touch everyone – regardless of race, age, gender, workplace, geography, or socioeconomic level. According to the 2010 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, approximately 45.9 million adults aged 18 or older had a mental illness in the past year, and about 11.4 million adults aged 18 or older had a serious mental illness. Additionally, 22.1 million Americans aged 12 or older were classified with substance dependence or abuse (substance use disorders). Now in its 23^rd year, Recovery Month continues to expand and develop effective ways to reach new audiences and spread the message of hope.

Evaluation Methods and Results: To bridge professional, social, cultural, and generational divides, Recovery Month:

• Targets diverse audiences: Recovery Month conducts an annual landscape audit to identify unique audiences in need of recovery education and resources. Sample targets include policymakers; healthcare providers; the workforce; active military and veterans; people within the justice system; and friends and families. Recovery Month also uses qualitative and quantitative research to analyze conversations and identify opportunities to reach relevant audiences online, such as young people in recovery.
• Breaks language barriers: Spanish is the second most spoken language in the United States, and Recovery Month resources are tailored to reach this audience. Online, areas of the Recovery Month website, (http://www.recoverymonth.gov), planning toolkit, customizable e-cards, and a widget with inspirational quotes are all available in Spanish. In addition, the Recovery Month public service announcements (television and radio) feature diverse casting and are focus group tested by English and Spanish audiences prior to  distribution in both languages nationwide.
• Creates unity under a common voice: Through in-person meetings and online communications, Recovery Month creates a platform where diverse audiences – those in recovery, their loved ones, and service providers – can share their stories and celebrate recovery together. Collaboration in developing an annual theme, such as 2012’s “Join the Voices of Recovery: It’s Worth It,” bridges divides and creates a common ground to promote recovery.

SAMHSA provides the toolkit materials online at http://www.recoverymonth.gov to reach widespread audiences, which includes Spanish resource offerings. Recovery Month has grown to more than 7,360 fans on Facebook since July 2009 and 3,990 followers on Twitter since January 2010. 

Conclusions: Recovery Month offers a successful platform for diverse audiences to gather information, connect, and build hope for recovery. 

Implications for research and/or practice: Recovery Month demonstrates how to apply research findings, best practices, and emerging trends in order to connect with target audiences through the most effective platforms. By tailoring materials to communicate with multiple languages and unifying under a common voice, a campaign can bridge divides.