Recovery is always possible, and Colorado has several resources to support recovery
DENVER (August 28, 2024) - September is National Recovery Month (Recovery Month), a time to promote substance use treatment and recovery, empower the recovery community, and honor treatment service providers and recovery communities. This year, Colorado’s Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) marks the 5th anniversary of the Recovery Cards Project with the release of a special collection of cards. Recovery Cards Project provides free greeting cards to people in Colorado who are in treatment for or are in recovery from addiction, or are supporting a person in recovery.
“According to BHA’s Performance Hub, about 51,000 people received BHA-funded substance use disorder services in 2023. But we know that more people in Colorado need these services. The Colorado Health Access Survey shows that from 2021-2023, nearly 100,000 Colorado adults did not get needed treatment or counseling for their substance use disorder. Many contributing factors keep people from receiving treatment—from the stigma or shame people with addiction feel to simply not knowing that resources designed to provide support are available to them,” said BHA Commissioner Dannette R. Smith. “In Colorado, we have many treatment and recovery resources and are intentional about making them as stigma-free as possible.”
Find ways BHA is reducing stigma, as well as BHA-provided treatment and recovery resources below:
Recovery Cards Project by Lift The Label
Created in 2019, Recovery Cards Project works with artists in Colorado and nationwide—including many of whom are in recovery themselves, or have a loved one who has struggled with substance use disorder.
“Over the past five years, Recovery Cards Project has distributed over 150,000 cards, and over 300 Recovery Cards Project kits to community organizations to share locally. That is 150,000 touchpoints—150,000 opportunities to make a difference in a life. These touch points are a large part of how we help support people in Colorado on their journey from active use to ongoing recovery,” said Commissioner Smith.
To celebrate this five-year milestone, Recovery Cards Project is releasing five new card designs. The cards celebrate recovery, the efforts of those working to achieve it, and the people who support and encourage them every day.
Colorado residents can order cards for free at RecoveryCardsProject.com. You can also find cards at the Rally for Recovery on September 21 in Denver.
This public awareness campaign strives to remove damaging labels and stigma that prevent those with addiction from seeking effective treatment by sharing stories of hope and resilience from people of Colorado.
988 Colorado Mental Health Line
The 988 Colorado Mental Health Line connects people in Colorado to trained specialists offering compassionate mental health, emotional, and substance use support via call, text, and chat.
OwnPath is a searchable online directory that allows people in Colorado to find licensed behavioral health providers, search for specific services, or use a guided search to identify providers or resources that best meet their needs.
Tough as a Mother connects pregnant and parenting people to treatment services and recovery support in their communities.
Addiction can happen to anyone, and anyone can get help. BHA is committed to providing quality recovery and treatment services to all people in Colorado. Together, we can recover.
###
Media Resources:
Interviews available upon request
Recovery Cards Project Website
Recovery Cards Project Media Kit
BHA Performance Hub: Learn how people in Colorado have used substance use disorder treatment services.
About the Behavioral Health Administration
The Colorado Behavioral Health Administration (BHA) is the state administration responsible for ensuring all people in Colorado have access to quality mental health and substance use disorder services, regardless of where they live, or ability to pay. As a regulatory body, BHA brings together community groups and governmental agencies to create a behavioral health system for all people in Colorado that is easy to access, and offers high-quality care that considers the whole person and their needs. Find us online at https://bha.colorado.gov/ or follow us on social media at @BHAConnect.