President Smatresk has issued the following proclamation in support of Addiction Counselors’ Day being celebrated nationwide today:

WHEREAS, addiction counselors are uniquely qualified, frontline health care professionals who are indispensable in the process of guiding patients with addictive disorders to recovery; and

WHEREAS, alcohol and drug disorders are a major public health problem that costs American society more than $300 billion each year, affecting millions of Americans of all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds and in all communities through treatment, education and prevention programs; and

WHEREAS, addictive disorders are a treatable disease and treatment of addiction is as successful as the treatment of other chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and asthma; and

WHEREAS, tens of thousands of addiction-focused health care professionals have dedicated their lives to increasing awareness of alcohol and drug disorders and the enhancing the care of individuals, families and communities through treatment, education and prevention programs; and

WHEREAS, addiction counselors promote excellence in care by promoting the highest quality and most up-to-date, science-based services to our clients, our families and our communities; and

WHEREAS, NAADAC, the Association of Addiction Professionals, invites all residents of Las Vegas to recognize Addictions Counselor Day; and

WHEREAS, UNLV is a leader in the training and preparation of Addiction Professionals and that the Student Organization of Addiction Professionals ( SOAP) serves as a national model for a student organization dedicated to the UNLV and Southern Nevada communities; and

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Neal J. Smatresk, President of the University of Nevada,Las Vegas, do hereby proclaim September 20, 2010, to be ADDICTION COUNSELORS’ DAY on the UNLV campus.