There are several important awareness campaigns in April, including Sexual Assault Awareness Month, National Counseling Awareness Month, and Alcohol Awareness Month.
We encourage others to learn more about each important topic. Here is a little more information about each observance:
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
April 2024 marks the 23rd anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an event managed by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. This year’s campaign is “Building Connected Communities.”
Throughout April, this event aims to raise awareness about sexual assault with the hope of preventing more incidents and providing support to survivors. “It’s impossible to prevent an issue no one knows about, and it’s difficult to make people aware of a problem without providing a solution,” the center says on its website.
Over the years, the campaigns have built upon each other to raise visibility about what sexual assault looks like, how to prevent it, and expanding education efforts to include faith leaders, coaches, parents, and others who can effect change.
The center encourages the use of #SAAM2024 on social media, and is hosting a #30DaysofSAAM contest on Instagram. Their website also provides free resources about building inclusive, equitable, and connected communities, along with coloring pages and a proclamation for advocates to download and use.
The National Sexual Violence Resource Center has a goal to raise $2,500 on their “SAAM Day of Giving” on April 18, 2024. For information on how to donate, visit https://www.nsvrc.org/saam.
National Counseling Awareness Month
April is also National Counseling Awareness Month, which provides a chance to recognize the importance of counseling services and mental health professionals who play a crucial role in supporting individuals and communities.
The campaign is managed by the American Counseling Association, which has more than 58,000 members. Their resources include articles on how to choose the right type of mental health professional, how to work with your counselor, and strategies for dealing with modern stressors.
Along with providing social media and communications resources (such as how to get your state to issue a proclamation of support), the organization celebrates Teal Day on the second Friday of April each year. By encouraging supporters to wear teal T-shirts on the same day, the event hopes to draw attention to the importance of counseling and self-care for counselors, and to debunk the stigma related to mental illness.
“Life is rarely perfect,” the association notes on its website. Counseling can help people navigate the ups and downs we all experience before things become unbearable.
Visit the American Counseling Association website for more information and resources, including directories of licensed counseling professionals in your area.
Alcohol Awareness Month
April is Alcohol Awareness Month, which the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration says is “a time to raise awareness and understanding of alcohol use and misuse. It offers communities a chance to gain more understanding of how individuals struggle with alcohol use and offers resources and support.”
According to a report by The Drug Abuse Warning Network, which was launched by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, there were an estimated 8.6 million alcohol-related visits to emergency departments from January 2021 to September 2023.
Alcohol was the most prevalent substance involved in substance-related emergency department visits – more than double the visits from opioids or cannabis. The highest rates of emergency department visits were adults age 26 to 44. The complete report is available at https://www.samhsa.gov/newsroom/observances/alcohol-awareness-month.
The administration encourages using the #AlcoholAwarenessMonth hashtag on social media to start conversations. They provide copy options on their website, along with other resources on underage drinking prevention, along with treatment and recovery for all ages.