In observance of National Recovery Month, the City of Rochester is flying a Recovery flag at the James W. Foley Memorial Community Center.

According to the official website, Recovery Month is held every September to promote and support new evidence-based treatment and recovery practices, the emergence of a strong and proud recovery community, and the dedication of service providers and community members across the nation who make recovery in all its forms possible.

Mary Boisse, Family and Workplace Recovery Manager at SOS Recovery Community Organization, hopes that Recovery Month will serve as a way to shine a light on the recovery process. It’s her hope to “shift the narrative and reduce the negative stigma surrounding substance use disorder.”

“Substance use disorder and mental health disorders impact every level of our community, from the individual to the family unit, and society as a whole,” said Boisse “Talking about these important health issues and acknowledging the impact they have on us is not something that should be hidden away behind a veil of stigma and shame. Instead, we need to come together to support each other and celebrate our successes!”

Boisse states that Dover, Somersworth, and Rochester are now all flying Recovery Month flags for the month of September and describes the movement as a true sign of support in the tri-city area.

“This [unified effort] is extremely important because the bigger the net of support we cast, the healthier our entire community will be,” Boisse continued.