GADSDEN– Gadsden State Community College will host the free Recovery Is Here event Tuesday, Sept. 22, connecting residents with treatment information, recovery education, and community support.
The 90-minute program will run from 1 to 2:30 p.m. in Helderman Hall Auditorium on the Wallace Drive Campus.
It is open to the public, as well as Gadsden State students, faculty, and staff. The college lists the campus at 1001 George Wallace Drive in Gadsden.
Program Centers on Treatment and Recovery Pathways
Organizers describe the 2026 program, titled “The Truth About Recovery,” as an educational event aimed at replacing misinformation with facts and lived experience.
This year’s central question is, “What does recovery actually look like?”
First, treatment professionals will give brief presentations about different approaches and levels of care. The segment is called “Treatment Options: Voices from the Field.”
In addition, short “Recovery Pathways” videos will explore several approaches to recovery. Those examples include medication-supported recovery, mutual support communities, and faith-based recovery.
Next, an interactive panel will allow participants to discuss the information and ask questions. Finally, a booth and conversation period will give attendees time to meet speakers and learn more.
Participants will also have opportunities to connect with recovery organizations and community resources. Organizers say the event can help people learn about treatment services while hearing directly from those with lived experience.
Statewide Initiative Marks National Recovery Month
The Gadsden event is part of a statewide initiative involving recovery organizations and Alabama community colleges.
The Treatment-Recovery Committee of the Alabama Opioid Overdose and Addiction Council is helping organize the campaign. Meanwhile, the initiative seeks to reduce stigma surrounding substance use disorder and show that recovery can follow several paths.
Gov. Kay Ivey created the council in 2017 to develop a comprehensive strategy addressing Alabama’s opioid crisis. Its eight standing committees include treatment-recovery, community engagement, prevention, workforce, and naloxone rescue efforts.
Additionally, the campaign coincides with National Recovery Month, observed each September. The national observance promotes evidence-based treatment and recovery practices while recognizing people in recovery, service providers, and supportive communities.
According to campaign organizers, last year’s events brought students, treatment providers, and communities together across Alabama. This year’s campaign will continue with events in Birmingham on Sept. 28 and Selma on Oct. 12.
For more information about the Gadsden event, recovery resources, and other ways to participate, visit RecoveryIsHere.info.
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