Awareness Events Calendar

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This calendar aims to help the community to spread awareness through recognition, celebration and proactive actions. These events can serve as reference points to help you educate people about various substance abuse and mental health issues and how they can help.

JANUARY

• Dry January is recognized as a time for abstaining from alcohol for the first month of the New Year to promote healthy activities and a fresh start. This works well for “sober curious” people who want to see how taking a break from drinking alcohol can impact their lives.

FEBRUARY

MARCH

• Gambling Disorder Screening Day Annually on the second Tuesday of March.

• National Drug and Alcohol Facts Week® (NDAFW) Annually for one week in March. To learn the specific dates each year, go to www.www.nida.nih.gov/research-topics/national-drug-alcohol-facts-week.

APRIL

• National Alcohol Awareness Month —a time to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol use and misuse during the month of April. It offers communities a chance to gain more understanding of how individuals struggle with alcohol use and offers resources and support. Every April the National Council for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD) sponsors Alcohol Awareness Month to increase awareness and understanding of the causes and treatment of the nation’s #1 public health problem: alcoholism. 

• National Prescription Drug Take Back Day;  Held two times a year, typically on the last Saturday of the months of April and October. To learn the specific dates each year, go to www.dea.gov/takebackday. 

MAY

• Mental Health Awareness Month: May has long been used to educate the public and reduce the stigma associated with mental health issues, so much so that the White House 2014 decreed May as National Mental Health Awareness Month. Over 42 million Americans live with or will experience a mental health condition in a year. Learn more about Mental Health Month.

• World No Tobacco Day (May 31st) The World Health Organization and its partners use this day to highlight tobacco use’s damaging health consequences and promote policies that will reduce tobacco consumption worldwide. Learn more about World No Tobacco Day.

JUNE

• PTSD Awareness Month: It’s estimated that as many as 8 percent of Americans suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This condition is the result of being a victim of, or even a witness to a traumatic event, such as violence, tragic accidents and sexual assault and abuse among others. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs is among the many organizations that teach people how to seek help for this serious disorder. Learn more about PTSD Awareness Month.

• Men’s Health Month: The entire month of June is dedicated to men’s health, with a focus on Men’s Health Week during the week leading up to Father’s Day.
• Men’s Health Week:  Annually during the week leading up to Father’s Day. 

JULY

AUGUST

• International Overdose Awareness Day (IOAD) is August 31. Visit overdoseday.com to learn more.

SEPTEMBER

• National Recovery Month is September. During #RecoveryMonth, we recognize and honor the resilience and strength of those on their journey to better health and wellness. To learn more about SAMHSA’s #RecoverySupport efforts, visit samhsa.gov/recovery. Visit rm.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org to learn more. 

• National Suicide Prevention Awareness Month: September is set aside to observe the preventable tragedy of suicide, the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Organizations such as the American Foundation for the Prevention of Suicide (AFSP) use this time to promote education on the signs of depression and other conditions that can result in suicidal tendencies. AFSP also provides information and resources about how to prevent these tragedies. Learn more about Suicide Prevention Week.

OCTOBER

• October is Youth Substance Use Prevention Month and Substance Misuse Prevention Month. To learn more visit: www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/prevention-month

• National Depression Screening Day: With events hosted on college campuses, military bases and in communities around the country, this event takes place during Mental Illness Awareness Week. Volunteers offer optional depression screening tools for those who want it and provide information and resources for private screenings at Help Yourself. Help Others. Learn more about National Depression Screening Day.

• Red Ribbon Week: Sponsored by Drug-Free America and the National Family Partnership (NFP), October 23 to 31 is set aside each year to kick off a red ribbon campaign that symbolizes a commitment to raising awareness around the consequences of drug abuse. NFP’s website is a hub for each campaign’s theme and provides resources for people and communities that want to hold events. Learn more about Red Ribbon Week.

• National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day: The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) has been hosting the National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day each year since 2010, which is scheduled for the last Saturday in October (and April). Learn more about Drug Take Back Day.
• National Depression Screening Day Annually on October 10.
• Mental Illness Awareness Week The first week in October.

NOVEMBER

• Great American Smokeout: The third Thursday of every November, for more than 40 years, has been an opportunity for people to join others in quitting their tobacco habits, whether it’s cigarettes, smokeless tobacco, and even vaping. The American Cancer Society sponsors this annual event and offers tools, resources and strategies for people to improve their health by living tobacco-free. Learn more about Great American Smokeout.

DECEMBER

• National Impaired Driving Prevention Month:  Annually during the month of December. Unfortunately, rates of driving while impaired has increased, according to a 2016 presidential report. The rise in states allowing for medicinal and recreational marijuana is definitely one reason the roads aren’t as safe as they should be. As the holidays are in full swing, this awareness event is an excellent way to raise the potentially tragic outcomes of driving while under the influence of drugs, alcohol, prescription or even over-the-counter medications. Learn more about DUI Roadside Tests.