Michaela's Story: From Mental Illness and Drug Use to Recovery
 September is National Recovery Month – a time to bring increased awareness of mental illness and substance use as well as the
hope for recovery. This campaign promotes the benefits of prevention, treatment, and recovery for mental health and substance use disorders, celebrates people in recovery, lauds the contributions of treatment and service providers, and promotes the message that recovery in all its forms is possible.
This brief, moving video chronicles Michaela Fissel’s journey through mental illness and drug use and her road to recovery. Michaela struggled with bi-polar disorder, which she says led to her substance use. Hers is an all too common story. Left untreated, mental illness can often lead to drug use and these co-occurring disorders can be particularly difficult to treat. Michaela says, “Recovery gave me the opportunity to live a meaningful life and now I am a contributing member of society with a purpose and a future.”
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Suicide is the 
lengthy and difficult for all young adults – not just those with mental health disabilities. As our society has become more complex, the adult milestones of completing high school and/or starting college, finding a job that pays a living wage, and leaving the family home often are not achieved until age 30 or later. For young adults with mental health disabilities, the transition to adulthood can be longer and more difficult. This blog post offers several key resources to help you navigate this critical time in your child’s life. 
The "There is Hope" app provides fast and easy access to crisis intervention and suicide prevention support.