Resolution 230663

..Title Recognizing the month of September 2023 as "National Recovery Month" in Philadelphia. ..Body WHEREAS, The theme of National Recovery Month is, "Every Person, Every Family, Every Community," emphasizing that recovery impacts not just individuals, but the world around them. Treatment can save lives and help people with substance use disorders recover from addiction's powerful effects on their brain and behavior; and WHEREAS, Substance use disorder is a treatable mental disorder that affects a person's brain and behavior, which may lead to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms may vary, with addiction being the most severe form of substance use disorder; and WHEREAS, Addiction can happen to any person, regardless of background. People with Substance use disorder may have other mental health disorders, and people with mental health disorders may also struggle with substance use; and WHEREAS, These other mental health disorders can include anxiety disorders, depression, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), bipolar disorder, personality disorders, and schizophrenia, among others; and WHEREAS, Among adults aged 25 and over, the rate of drug overdose deaths was significantly higher in 2021 compared with 2020; and WHEREAS, Of the drug overdose deaths in 2021, 92.1% were unintentional; and WHEREAS, Drug overdose deaths have been rising over the past 2 decades in the United States; and WHEREAS, In both 2020 and 2021, rates were highest for adults aged 35-44 (53.9 per 100,000 and 62.0, respectively) and lowest for people aged 65 and over (9.4 and 12.0, respectively). Adults aged 65 and over experienced the largest percentage increase in drug overdose death rates from 2020 through 2021, with a 28% increase; and WHEREAS, Trauma is a risk factor for substance use disorder, and there is a strong link between adverse childhood experiences or traumatic events and experiencing substance use disorder later in life; and WHEREAS, Overdoses are the leading injury-related cause of death in the United States and appear to have accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic; and WHEREAS, In 2021, nearly 107,000 people died from drug overdoses, a 16% increase from the approximately 92,000 overdose deaths in 2020; and WHEREAS, In 2021, Philadelphia lost 1,276 people to unintentional fatal overdose, a 5% increase from the previous year; and WHEREAS, The overdose crisis is citywide. In 2021, most fatal overdoses occurred outside of the Kensington area, with 69% of fatal overdoses taking place in the victim's home. Sharp increases in unintentional fatal overdoses were seen in North Philadelphia ZIP Codes 19124, 19132, 19133, and 19144; and WHEREAS, Among the 2021 overdose deaths, more than 75% involved an opioid; and WHEREAS, Research shows that people who have had at least one overdose are more likely to have another; and WHEREAS, In 2020, an estimated 41.1 million Americans needed substance use disorder treatment, but only 2.6 million people with a substance use disorder in the past year received treatment; and WHEREAS, The City of Philadelphia strives to encourage peer-supported communities that offer individuals with substance use disorder better success in recovery by addressing the personal and emotional effects of addiction and easing reintegration: now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That is does hereby recognize National Recovery Month and the individuals dedicated to helping their loved ones and our communities navigate a path to rehabilitation, restoration, and healing. ..End