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To recognize September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month and to thank Mr. David Royer for his 40 years of leadership, service, and support for the people and families in Columbus and Central Ohio in their quest to restore their lives.
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WHEREAS, National Recovery Month was started in 1990 as a national observance held each September to educate Americans regarding substance use, treatment, mental health services, and help for people seeking to overcome these disorders in the pursuit of living a healthy, rewarding life; National Recovery Month recognizes that behavioral health is an essential part of health and wellness - Opiate overdoses are now killing more people now than did AIDS when it was at the pinnacle of its lethality - More than 9 out of 10 poisonings requiring hospitalization in Ohio are due to drugs - last year 1.3 million Americans needed to be hospitalized for opioid-related issues; and
WHEREAS, Mr. David Royer began his career and commitment to the field of Behavioral Health as a social worker in July of 1979; serving as the Executive Director of the Alcohol and Drug Addiction Services Board of Butler County from September of 1990 to May of 2000; he joined the Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County as the CEO in May of 2000: Under his leadership the ADAMH Board of Franklin County: created the Franklin County Opiate Action Plan to combat the opioid epidemic; the organization partnered with Maryhaven to create the Addiction Stabilization Center - an innovative facility where people who have overdosed can be taken by EMS for immediate addiction treatment services; the board established the Community Housing Network - a housing agency for people with long-term mental health conditions who are able to live independently in the community with supportive services (it is now an independent non-profit); established the P.E.E.R. Center - a consumer-operated, a drop-in program for individuals living with mental illness and/or alcohol or other drug addiction (also an independent non-profit); partnered with Nationwide Insurance to create the Ohio Opioid Education Alliance - a successful public/private partnership focused on a county and statewide campaign to raise awareness about opioids; and participated in the process of breaking down and reducing the stigmas associated with mental illness reversing the trend of deinstitutionalization, which was the norm when he started his career; and
WHEREAS, September of 2019 commemorates the 30th anniversary of National Recovery Month - marking three decades of spreading the message that treatment is effective; recognizing that people can and do recover -every day - The 2019 Recovery Month theme, “Join the Voices for Recovery: Together We Are Stronger,” emphasizes the need to share resources and build networks across the country to support the many paths to recovery, reminding us that mental and substance use disorders affect all of us and that we are all part of the solution; moreover David’s career of service and excellence highlights what Recovery Month is all about - it is about helping and inspiring people from all walks of life to find the path to hope, health, and wellness - we celebrate David and we thank him for his service to this community; ”now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF COLUMBUS: That this Council does hereby recognize September as National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month and thank Mr. David Royer for his 40 years of leadership, service, and support for the people and families in Columbus and Central Ohio in their quest to restore their lives