PARKERSBURG — Wood County will recognize the need for recovery services and the importance of the U.S. Constitution with two proclamations passed Monday.

The Wood County Commission unanimously passed the two proclamations, one declaring September as Recovery Month and the other declaring Sept. 17-23 as Constitution Week in Wood County.

Representatives from the Fourth Circuit Public Defender Office in Parkersburg appeared before the commission to discuss the Recovery Month proclamation.

Recovery from mental and substance use disorders, including co-occurring disorders, is an essential part of health and one’s overall wellness, the proclamation said. Treatment and recovery services for mental and substance use disorders and co-occurring disorders is effective and essential to achieving healthy lifestyles, both physically and emotionally, the proclamation added.

“… an estimated 129,000 West Virginians, ages 12 and older, are classified as having alcohol or illicit drug dependence or abuse and approximately 314,000 adults have mental illness,” the proclamation said. “… we must encourage relatives and friends of people with mental and substance use disorders to implement preventive measures, recognize the sign of a problem, and guide those in need to appropriate treatment and recovery support services.”

Commission President Blair Couch said there are a number of treatment options available locally, across the state and across state lines.

Officials said there have been some communities who do not want treatment facilities in their areas and as a result the people are sent to Parkersburg and elsewhere.

Local officials might start asking these other communities to start contributing financial resources to be able to handle the people being sent here from their areas, Couch said.

They discussed how many recovery programs in the area work from detox to working with people through the process, officials said, adding some people don’t know where to turn while others have ended up in homeless shelters.

In talking to personnel from one of the recovery programs, Couch said they told him they have a 26 percent rate of people who are able to complete the program.

Couch talked about leaders from both the city and county wanting to make sure if someone fails out of a recovery program they are returned to where they came from so people don’t add to the homeless problem here. One showed Couch their records on how they work to get people home.

Representatives from the Fourth Circuit Public Defender Office talked about the need for earlier intervention so they can get help before ending up in the criminal justice system.

The Constitution Week proclamation stated Sept. 17 marks the 235th anniversary signing of the Constitution of the United States of America. It was presented to the commission through the local James Wood Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.

“… this anniversary provides a historic opportunity for all Americans to remember the achievements of our founders, to reflect on the rights and privileges of citizenship and calls each of us to more active and responsible citizenship,” the proclamation said. “… every citizen, whether by birth or naturalization, is called to participate in this observance by recognizing and committing to uphold the freedom, liberties, independence and responsibilities of citizenship guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States of America.”