Alcohol Awareness Month, commemorated every April, was founded in 1987 by the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD). Its goal is to increase public awareness and understanding aimed at reducing the stigma that too often prevents individuals and families from seeking help. This year’s theme is “Help for Today – Hope for Tomorrow.” During Alcohol Awareness Month, NCADD and local organizations reach out to bring community members information about alcohol and alcoholism as a chronic, progressive disease, potentially fatal if untreated, and genetically predisposed. The disease of alcoholism is a family disease, not a moral weakness. It is treatable and people can and do recover. In fact, millions of individuals and family members are living lives in long-term recovery from alcoholism.

On February 15, the Council was honored to receive a personal visit from Pamela Hyde, Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). SAMHSA is the top mental health/substance abuse agency under the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services (HHS). Ms. Hyde was joined by Michael Duffy, Regional SAMHSA Administrator, and Marjorie Petty, Regional HHS Director. Council Executive Director-Debbie Meripolski, Director of Prevention Programs-Stacey Davis, and Director of HIV Programs-Sonny Blake, met with our esteemed guests over lunch and enjoyed the opportunity to tell them about the Council’s rich history and extensive network of prevention and intervention activities. After a tour of the Council offices, Sonny and Debbie joined our guests for a community roundtable discussion at The Resource Center of Dallas. The Council is fortunate to have a five-year Drug Free Communities Support Program grant provided by SAMHSA.

The number of deadly drug overdoses in the United States increased for the 11th consecutive year, according to new government data reported by The Partnership at Drugfree.org.

A total of 38,329 people died of drug overdoses in 2010. More than 22,000 of the deaths that year involved prescription drugs (57%). Of those, three-quarters were due to painkillers such as OxyContin and Percocet, according to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS). NCHS noted that more than 74 percent of deaths due to prescription drugs were accidental.

You can help prevent prevention drug misuse and abuse by properly disposing of unused or expired medication. On Saturday, April 27, from 10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. you can participate in the Prescription Drug Take Back Initiative by dropping off your medications for safe disposal at 11 area locations. The Council continues to work collaboratively with the Dallas Area Drug Prevention Partnership, the Dallas Police Department, the Dallas ISD Police, University Park Police Department, 12th Step Ministry and the Drug Enforcement Administration to reduce access to and excess of prescription drugs. See www.drugfreedallas.org for more information and to check out the list of the locations to find the one closest to you.

The Council is often a pioneer and forerunner in the substance abuse field for the state and country. The Council recognized addiction as a disease eight years before the American Medical Association. The Council helped establish and provided the inaugural leadership for the Texas Commission on Alcoholism (now the Texas Department of State Health Services, Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services).

Over the decades, The Council has responded to increasing community needs, focusing on larger target populations and widening the scope of collaborative, evidence-based initiatives and services. The work has received accolades and awards, coverage by national publications, and inclusion in the Congressional Record. But most importantly, since opening its doors in 1946, millions of North Texans have been reached, changed and/or saved.

The Council trained or provided direct services to 29,686 people in 2012 and provided resources/materials for another 121,197 people. In addition to the more than 150,000 individuals touched directly, The Council reaches many thousands more in two ways: 1) Public awareness campaigns in the form of public service announcements, press conferences, billboards, community events, press conferences and media coverage, and 2) Education of teachers, counselors, first-responders and parents, who pass on their skills and knowledge to countless others.