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(SANTA BARBARA, Calif.) - This January, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) is leading a nationwide observance of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Month, an effort to raise awareness about the importance of treatment, recovery supports, and the many pathways to healing.
Substance use disorders affect millions of individuals and families across the country. According to SAMHSA’s National Survey on Drug Use and Health , an estimated 48.4 million people aged 12 or older experienced a substance use disorder in the past year. Despite the prevalence of SUD, only about one in five people who needed treatment received it, underscoring the need to reduce barriers and expand awareness of available services.