SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

Writing an Effective Press Release

As you prepare for your National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month) events, one of the most valuable tools you can use to get the word out about your event is a press release you write and distribute to local media. The goal of a press release is to encourage local media to run stories about your Recovery Month activities, whether or not they are able to attend any of your events.

A press release needs to be distinguished from a media advisory. An advisory is shorter and announces an event. A press release provides more detail and quotes principal speakers at your event.

You can distribute your press release to local media by fax or e-mail the morning of your event, and ensure that it is prominently placed within the press kits you distribute at the event. In any case, a timely, well-written press release is the key vehicle for generating media interest. Taking the time to make it powerful is worth the effort. Whether you use the template press release provided at the end of this document or write your own, the following information will help in writing an effective press release.

Most media outlets will use your press release as background information from which to craft their own articles. For that reason, your press release should be detailed enough to provide media with what they need to create their stories.

To attract the broadest media attention, your press release should contain information about your organization's most important and/or newsworthy activity during Recovery Month. For example, a Recovery Month observance release may be considered newsworthy if your organization:

• Honors a local individual or organization as part of the Recovery Month celebration



• Plans an event at which a local lawmaker or other official issues a Recovery Month proclamation



• Conducts seminars or workshops featuring a local or national celebrity speaker



• Publicizes the local impact of a national news event, such as the Recovery Month kick-off in Washington, D.C., and your local angle on that activity



• Begins a new type of service or makes significant changes to existing services



• Announces the results of a poll, survey, or study on substance use disorders



• Launches a new public education program



• Forms a special task force to address local substance use disorder concerns

If you have more than one newsworthy activity planned, you can distribute separate press releases for each of your activities, if they are significant enough to stand on their own. Alternatively, you may wish to issue a single press release with a fact sheet attached that describes all of the Recovery Month events being hosted in your community. Your press release should contain sufficient background information, such as quotes from local officials and lists of other activities your organization is planning along with your key event.

Please refer to the press release template that follows as you write your Recovery Month press release. You may use this template as the basis of your press release, being certain to edit it, as necessary, for your event (particularly updating all placeholders that have been highlighted in bold and listed in brackets throughout the release). Electronic versions of this and other templates are available on the CD-ROM in this planning toolkit, as well as on the Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov.

Here are some tips to help you write your release:

• Stick to a traditional format. Releases should be issued on your organization's letterhead or on the Recovery Month letterhead provided in this planning toolkit. At the top of the page, include the name and phone number of a contact for more information. That person should be readily accessible and be able to respond to any media questions. The release should begin with the name of your city and the date. If the release is longer than one page, type "more" at the bottom of each page except the last. Signify the end of the release by typing "###" centered under the last sentence.



• Keep it short. A Recovery Month release should be no more than three pages, double-spaced (two pages is preferable). It should contain short sentences and paragraphs.



• Give the most important details first. Begin with a headline that summarizes the release and captures media attention right away. The first paragraph should answer the five basic questions about your activities during Recovery Month–who, what, where, when, and why.



• Mention your local activities early in the release. The local audience will be most interested in what is happening in your community during Recovery Month. You may wish to include local statistics about the number of people in your state who suffer from substance use disorders. To obtain local information, contact the Single-State Agency (SSA) in your state, which is listed in the SSA Directory included in the “Resources” section of this planning toolkit. Inquire about both public and private patient census information. More state related information is found in the 2003 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: National Findings, published by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. This survey is available through the SAMHSA Web site at www.oas.samhsa.gov, where state substance use data reports also are available.



• Be careful with language. Write in the first person, and avoid using slang or technical terms associated with substance use disorder issues. If necessary, explain terms. Spell out all acronyms the first time they are used.



• Check for accuracy. Be sure to verify all spelling, statistics, names, and titles in your Recovery Month release.



• Write factually. Opinions should be expressed in direct quotes only. When quoting an individual in your Recovery Month release, get consent before publishing.



• Seek placement. Distribute your Recovery Month release at your event and via e-mail or fax to local print, broadcast, and Internet reporters in your community on the day of the release's date. (Instructions for developing a media list are provided with the template media advisory in this planning toolkit.) Follow up by phone to encourage media to write or air a story. Try to schedule an interview with an official of your organization to provide additional information. Collect samples of any resulting media coverage to document your outreach efforts.

You are encouraged to share your plans and activities for Recovery Month 2005 with SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, your colleagues, and the general public by posting them on the official Recovery Month Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov.

We would like to know about your outreach efforts and community success stories during Recovery Month. Please complete the Customer Satisfaction Form enclosed in this planning toolkit. Directions are included on the form.

Please send any of your organization's Recovery Month promotional samples to: Office of the Director, Consumer Affairs, SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment, 1 Choke Cherry Road, 2nd Floor, Rockville, MD 20857.

Sample Recovery Month materials are available electronically on the CD-ROM enclosed in this planning toolkit. For additional Recovery Month materials, visit our Web site at www.recoverymonth.gov or call 1-800-662-HELP.

SAMPLE PRESS RELEASE

[Please adapt as needed for your event.]

For Immediate Release

–[List local employers] applauded during National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month for establishing drug-free workplaces–

[city, state], [date]–An estimated [number] of [state or city]'s residents have a substance use disorder, and local businesses can play a large role in making treatment affordable and referring employees to treatment, said city officials who spoke at a forum today. At the event, [name of a prominent state or community official] discussed with [list other event participants, such as participating employers, members of the treatment community, etc.] ways to identify people's needs, refer them to treatment programs for substance use problems, and provide support for affected family members.

"Because many people spend a great deal of time at work, local businesses are a logical place to start developing future efforts to address addiction in our community," said [full name of state or community official, title, and organization].

Today's forum was held to address barriers to accessing alcohol and drug addiction treatment services. Employers must play an important role in overcoming these barriers, because [national or local percentage] percent of people with substance use disorders are employed, according to [state or community official or business person]. By investing in effective treatment by offering employee assistance programs (EAPs) and health insurance plans that cover treatment costs, employers can benefit from savings in productivity and health care costs, and have a significant impact on their employees' quality of life.

The [event] was part of a national initiative supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The 16^th annual observance of National Alcohol and Drug Addiction Recovery Month (Recovery Month) celebrates individuals in recovery from substance use disorders-and their families–and publicizes the need for better access to treatment and recovery support services.

-more-

"Our community must take action to ensure that people who need treatment will be identified and assessed, and then receive necessary treatment, while still being able to keep their jobs and contribute to our community," said [full name of state or community spokesperson, title, and organization]. "Recovery Month is an opportunity for our community to begin a dialogue on changing the way we address treatment issues for those dealing with these disorders."

[Your organization name] Asks Employers to Join the Dialogue

Today's [event] featured [provide a few sentences detailing who participated (including employers listed at the beginning of this release) and specific questions that were addressed]. [Your organization name] has planned additional events and efforts in our community during Recovery Month: [Give detailed examples such as those listed below.]

• Educational packets will be distributed [explain how, where, and starting when, such as on (date) at trade fairs or mailed starting (date)] to help employers recognize when employees have substance use disorders, and provide information about the treatment programs available to them and the community based recovery support programs that are offered for their family members.



• An employer roundtable will take place on [date/time] at [location]. Participants will discuss [list specific topics, such as how to create a drug-free workplace program].



• [A silent auction or other fundraising event] will take place on [date/time] to raise money for new substance use disorder treatment programs designed specifically for community residents with alcohol or drug problems who are having a difficult time in the workplace.

Nationwide Recovery Month Events

During Recovery Month each September, communities nationwide join together to help people recognize that substance use disorders are treatable diseases. Results from a May 2004 national survey released by Faces & Voices of Recovery show that as many as 63 percent of Americans say that addiction to alcohol or other drugs has had an impact on them at some point in their lives, whether it was the addiction of a friend or family member or another experience, such as their own personal addiction. Treatments for these diseases are as effective as treatments for other chronic conditions–yet nationally, 20.3 million people needed but did not receive treatment in 2003.

Throughout September, Recovery Month events are taking place nationwide to encourage employers, other organizations, and entire communities to appropriately assess people's needs for treatment, overcome the barriers people encounter when they seek help, and provide health insurance coverage to pay for a range of treatment services. Together, the efforts of all Recovery Month participants are supporting the celebration's 2005 theme, "Join the Voices for Recovery: Healing Lives, Families, and Communities."