President Obama has announced September 2016 as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month. This year’s theme is “Join the Voices for Recovery: Our Families, Our Stories, Our Recovery!”

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Earlier this month Kathy Stone, Director of Addiction in the Iowa Department of Public Health and NASADAD member, received the ninth Annual Ramstad-Kennedy Award for Outstanding Leadership by a Single State Authority (SSA). In particular, Ms. Stone was honored for her leadership in recovery support programs across Iowa and across the country.

The Ramstad-Kennedy Award was established in 2008 to recognize an SSA Director who has demonstrated exceptional leadership in support of recovery and National Recovery Month, and to acknowledge Congressmen Jim Ramstad (R-MN) and Patrick Kennedy (D-RI) for their commitment to recovery and recovery-oriented policies. This year’s Ramstad-Kennedy award was presented on August 10^th at the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) National Block Grant Conference. Ms. Stone received the award because of her leadership and innovation in promoting the goals of National Recovery Month in her State; expansion of Recovery Month activities within her agency and throughout local communities; and support for recovery organizations in their State.

In a statement, Congressman Kennedy said that “… all of the recipients, including Kathy Stone, have been champions of recovery for not just those suffering from a substance use disorder but also for all their family members who themselves are affected by the family disease of addiction.” The award was presented in advance of the 2016 National Recovery Month, which will be observed in September with the theme Join the Voices of Recovery: Our Families, Our Stories, Our Recovery.