February 27, 2008

1. Recovery Community Centers: Anchored in the Recovery CommunityPart 1: Their Mission and Organization Teleconference Series February 27, 2008

2. Introductions • Pat TaylorExecutive Director, Faces & Voices of Recovery • Phillip Valentine Executive Director, Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) • Rene AndersenThe RECOVER Project, Greenfield, MA • Mark Helijas Executive Director, Second Wind Foundation, Vermont Recovery Center Network

3. Phillip Valentine CCAR (Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery) http://www.ccar-recovery.org/

4. Recovery Community Treatment Community Historical Context

5. Recovery Community Treatment Community CCAR, a nationally respected Recovery Community Organization… bridges the gap

6. Recovery Community Single State Agency (SSA) Recovery Community Organizations will… bridge the gap

7. Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) • Organizes the Recovery Community to… • tap into the inherent nature to give back • Put a Face on Recovery • Advocacy: have a voice on issues of importance to the recovery community • Offer ourselves as living proof that recovery is a reality in the lives of millions of people • Provide Recovery Support Services • To maintain and sustain recovery • Funded by Connecticut DMHAS, HHS/SAMHSA/CSAT/RCSP and private donations

8. Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) Some Advocacy Highlights: • Wrote the Recovery Core Values along with Advocacy Unlimited that became the foundation for the Commissioner’s Policy # 83: Promoting a Recovery-Oriented Service System • Helped turn “Heroin Town”, a negative Hartford Courant newspaper series, into “Recovery Town” • Educated the legislature about the Pardons Process where significant changes have been made • Assisted DMHAS through some NIMBY housing issues associated with Access to Recovery (ATR) • Involved in Faces & Voices of Recovery issues – restoration of RCSP funding, HBO Addiction documentary, insurance discrimination

9. Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) Puts a Face on Recovery by: • Frequent speaking engagements • Cable public access TV shows • Positive Faces, Willimantic • Capitol Voices of Recovery, Hartford • Hooked on Recovery, New London • DVDs, Videos • Putting a Face on Recovery • The Healing Power of Recovery • The Legacy of Hope: Recovery Elders Video Project • Website http://ccar.us • Recovery Walks!, Rally for Recovery (Faces & Voices of Recovery)

10. Recovery Community Centers Willimantic, New London, Bridgeport, Hartford

12. Recovery Community Centers • a recovery oriented sanctuary anchored in the heart of the community • a physical location where CCAR can organize the local recovery community’s ability to care • a place where Recovery Support Services are delivered • services are designed, tailored and delivered by local recovery communities • Volunteer Management System – including people in long-term, sustained recovery

13. Recovery Community Centers - Are They Effective? • 96.0% are still drug and alcohol free • 99.4% did not go back to jail or become involved in the criminal justice system • More than 78.0% found jobs and/or went back to school • 87.0% found safe and affordable housing • 100% increased their involvement in recovery programs and improved their family and community relationships • 63.0% are working at improving their health and decreasing their risks for poor health outcomes associated with HIV/AIDS

14. Recovery Support Services at Recovery Community Centers • All-Recovery Groups • Recovery Training Series • Family Support Groups • Recovery Coaching • Recovery Social Events • Telephone Recovery Support* • Recovery Housing Project*

15. Telephone Recovery Support • In the spirit of KISS, a new recoveree would receive a phone call from a trained volunteer (usually another person in recovery) once a week for 12 weeks • Volunteer follows script • Low cost, win/win scenario • CCAR – gives new recoveree a better shot at maintaining their recovery AND helps the Volunteer making the call • Provider – helps their clientele • Prior to discharge, provider offers recoveree the telephone support program.  • Results, outcomes, evaluations all outstanding

16. Telephone Recovery Support • “When asked if I find the TRS (Telephone Recovery Support) calls helpful I can’t say yes enough.  There’s something so supportive about knowing that no matter what happens in my life there’s someone who genuinely cares about how my recovery is going.  My volunteer has shared in every victory I have had in my recovery since the calls began.  I hope to continue receiving these calls for a long time to come.” ~ Constance Carpenter, recoveree enrolled in CCAR’s TRS program for the last 55 weeks

17. Telephone Recovery Support • “Out of all of the commitments I’ve had – TRS is my favorite way of giving back.  Honestly – it’s a toss up as to who gets more out of it…me or them.” ~Caroline Miclette, TRS Volunteer • “When I was using my phone never rang and I wanted it to.  I remember just sitting there, staring at the phone wishing someone would call me, talk to me…possibly help me.  Now I’m in recovery, for me this is the perfect way of giving back… being that phone call that I never got.” ~Curtiss Kolodney, TRS Volunteer

18. Volunteers Staff

19. Volunteer Management System • Modeled after a hospital volunteer system • Screening, interviews, background checks • Comprehensive Volunteer Orientation training • 6 week, 6 month evaluations • Volunteer Recognition dinner in April • 2007 over 10,000 hours contributed Next Steps • Working with the Connecticut Certification Board (CCB) to develop a Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS) credential • First cohort in the Winter 2008

20. Rene Andersen The RECOVER Project How to Build Your Own Peer-to-Peer Recovery Center From the Ground Up! A Program of the Western MA Training Consortium http://www.recoverproject.org/

21. Why do communities need peer-to-peer recovery centers? • “It is a place where recovering addicts and alcoholics can go and feel at home” • “We are the last house on the street for many people” • “It is a place where we can re-engage and get involved with our community and help the next alcoholic or addict get recovery” • “It gave me a place to go and something to do when I had nothing, really it gave me a reason to get up in the morning” • “It was where I built a new network of friends, who were safer and healthier than the ones I left behind”

22. Why do communities need peer-to-peer recovery centers? • “I learned there that there was life after alcohol, sober dances and other activities helped me to see that life could still be fun.” • “The volunteer position I took here helped me to keep on track when the rest of my life was falling apart.” • “We can feel safe there.” • “I was valued and trusted, maybe for the first time, and I was able to help create something larger than myself.” • Asked and answered at the RECOVER Project Community Meeting, November 2006.

23. Who is involved and what does peer to peer mean? • “Peer-to-peer” means people in recovery from drug and alcohol addictions helping each other. • We define a “peer” as someone who has the experience of addiction and recovery, either directly or as a family member or concerned other.

24. How do we do it? • Volunteers are central to the work that we do. • Without volunteers, we would not have the extent and breadth of programs that we do. • Volunteering is an opportunity for people to fully participate, give back, enhance skills and connect with others.

25. Here’s what we are NOT • We are not treatment, medical model • We do not provide therapy or medications, and • We are not twelve step. • We are not these things, although we acknowledge that these are important, often crucial in people’s recovery. We recognize that people exist in the complex context of their lives, and that, in the right conditions, people do recover.

26. Our Recovery Center • Most of our activities are located in our recovery center • an 1800 square foot space in a storefront in downtown Greenfield, MA. • Our center has large open meeting space with: • couches • a small meeting room • three online resource computers • a library, kid’s area • a small kitchen • three staff offices.

27. Developing a Vision, Organizational Structure, and Programs • It is crucial that people in recovery are a part of the planning process on all levels and at all stages. • This is called “participatory process”.

29. Develop a Vision based on community’s needs • Who or what is at the center of our work? • How do people recover? • What are the greatest strengths of people in recovery? • What are the barriers or challenges faced by people? • What should be the key components of the organization • Staff, Volunteers, recovery community, board of directors, greater community • How do these components interact?

30. Assessing Community Needs • Invite cross section of the community – • youth, elders, business community, veterans, SA agencies/programs, human service agencies, reps from the criminal justice system • Seek diversity across race, age, gender, linguistic minorities, etc • Assessment should be continuous, both formal and informal

31. Needs Assessment Strategies • Open community meetings • Key informant interviews • Targeted focus groups • Paper and pencil surveys

32. Tips for Success • Don’t reinvent the wheel • Results of completion of first round of assessments: • Suggested actions to address these concerns • Four to five key areas of concern will be identified • Share the results with others • participants, media, agencies and organizations

33. Develop an Organizational Structure • Consider resources available • What makes sense • Keep it Simple

35. Crafting Your Programs • Guided by your vision work, and by the community’s needs, resources available, design the specific programs and activities that will address the community’s needs.

36. Program Design and Development • Revisit participatory process • Steering Committee • Community meetings • Leadership Council • Volunteer Committees • Brainstorming • Design a work plan

37. Mark Helijas Vermont Recovery Network http://vtrecoverynetwork.org/

38. VRCN Vision and Origins • 1992: Turning Point of White River Junction, VT opens as AA clubhouse • 1998: Turning Point reopens as first Recovery Center with Executive Director • 2000: Vision of 12 site statewide network and first legislative testimony • Large untapped population • Recovery Centers are the delivery method • Low cost service platforms

39. VRCN Vision and Origins • 2000: Begin organizing Burlington recovering community • 2001: State appropriates first monies for three new centers • 2001: Begin working with State Agency to develop the grant • 2002: First two centers open – Burlington and Rutland

40. Vermont Recovery Center Network • 2003: Vermont State legislature created 7- member VRCN Executive Council • Representatives from 4 centers join Mark Helijas, Mark Ames and Patty McCarthy • Advisory services and networking opportunities • Quarterly meetings • Share information • 2007: Vermont State legislature restructures Executive Council to 9 members • 1 representative from each center • Legislature funds new position of Network Coordinator • Council votes FOR-VT and State Agency Ex officio members • Create governance structure, policies and procedures

41. Role of VolunteersDeveloping Centers • White River Junction provides technical assistance • Learn of WRJ success • Envision center in their community • Mobilize their community • Organize Board, elect officers • Identify facility and outline program • Volunteers • Fix up space • Develop boards • Write grant and apply for State funding • Provide majority of staffed hours

42. Building public and political support for expanding the VRCN • 2000 to present: • Testimony before state legislative bodies including House & Senate Health & Welfare committees; Senate Appropriations committees • Work with Chairs to become champions, legislators on boards of centers • Building the case: Bi-partisan issue; increases treatment efficacy; right thing to do and saves money • Letters to editors, newspaper articles • Recovery center folks become FOR-VT members and advocate • Governor has included funds for 10th center in 2008 budget

43. Role of Friends of Recovery Vermont (FOR-VT) • 2001: Recovery Center representative becomes Board member • FOR-VT events provide platforms for advocacy • Recovery Centers are the first fundable service that FOR-VT advocates for • 2003: FOR-VT Director and Recovery Center leaders form an ad-hoc advisory group • FOR-VT provides volunteer trainings • Recovery Center volunteers become FOR-VT members • FOR-VT Board members, members • Attend FOR-VT events • Visit statehouse and legislators • Advocate for Recovery Center funding

44. Questions And Answers Faces & Voices of Recovery www.facesandvoicesofrecovery.org