Project Grant H79TI083724

COMMUNITY OF RECOVERY PROJECT - VOICES OF RECOVERY, A RCO IN SAN MATEO COUNTY, [SMC] CA, WILL IMPLEMENT AN INTENSIVE OUTREACH RECOVERY COACHING INTERVENTION DELIVERED BY WRAP-CERTIFIED PEERS WITH LIVED EXPERIENCE FOR ADULTS WITH MAJOR BARRIERS TO ACCESSING RESOURCES AND SUD TREATMENT, PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED RECOVERY COACHING USING MOTIVATIONAL ENHANCEMENT AND RECOVERY SKILLS DEVELOPMENT, LINKAGE WITH VOCATIONAL, EDUCATION, HOUSING, AND OTHER RESOURCES, AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE SELF-CARE EDUCATION. SMC'S POPULATION IS 59.5% WHITE, 2.8% AFRICAN-AMERICAN, 30.6% ASIAN, AND 24% HISPANIC/LATINO, WITH 6.1% OF THE POPULATION LIVING IN POVERTY. THIRTY-FOUR PERCENT OF RESIDENTS ARE FOREIGN-BORN, AND 45.7% SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AT HOME. THE PROJECT WILL TARGET PERSONS WITH A HISTORY OF SIGNIFICANT SUBSTANCE ABUSE WHO ARE LIKELY EXPERIENCING A LIFE CRISIS OR PATTERN OF CHRONIC INSTABILITY. THEY MAY BE INVOLVED IN MULTIPLE LOCAL SYSTEMS: CRIMINAL JUSTICE, HOMELESS SERVICES, MENTAL HEALTH, VETERANS' ASSISTANCE, AND CHILD WELFARE. ALTHOUGH THEY HAVE A SERIOUS SUD, CLIENTS MAY NOT IDENTIFY SUBSTANCE ABUSE AS A PRIMARY ISSUE OR DISRUPTER IN THEIR LIVES OR EXPRESS A MOTIVATION TO ADDRESS THEIR USE DIRECTLY. MANY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SUSTAIN RELATIONSHIPS WITH HELPFUL COMMUNITY RESOURCES, AND MOST LIKELY EXPERIENCE A HISTORY OF TRAUMA, EMOTIONAL DIFFICULTY, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE, SCHOOL FAILURE, UNEMPLOYMENT OR UNDEREMPLOYMENT, AND CURRENT MEDICAL PROBLEMS. STRATEGIES INCLUDE DEVELOPING A RECOVERY COACHING MANUAL, USING MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING AND COMMUNITY REINFORCEMENT APPROACH MATERIALS TO STRUCTURE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN COACHES AND CLIENTS, AND DEVELOPING REFERRAL CRITERIA THAT REFLECT THE NEED TO IDENTIFY PERSONS OVERWHELMED BY THE SMC SERVICE SYSTEM WHO CAN READILY BENEFIT FROM IMPROVED RECOVERY SUPPORT. THE ENGAGEMENT PHILOSOPHY OF THE PROJECT WILL BE THAT EFFECTIVE INTERVENTION DEMONSTRATES TO CLIENTS A SENSE THAT THERE IS A COMMUNITY THAT CARES ABOUT THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR THEM. THE BASIC QUESTIONS COACHES WILL USE TO HELP ADULTS, WHO MAY CURRENTLY BE OUTSIDE THE TREATMENT SYSTEM, WILL BE: "WHAT STEPS CAN YOU TAKE NOW TO IMPROVE YOUR RECOVERY, AND HOW CAN I HELP WITH THAT?" PROJECT GOALS ARE TO IMPLEMENT THE INDIVIDUALIZED RECOVERY COACHING SERVICE, AND TO IMPROVE THE SMC RECOVERY INFRASTRUCTURE. OBJECTIVES INCLUDE: TRAIN 4 EXPERIENCED WRAP FACILITATORS IN THE RECOVERY COACHING MODEL, IMPLEMENT 3 MOUS EACH PROJECT YEAR WITH SUD TREATMENT AGENCIES THAT DETAIL THE ROLE OF VOR IN PROVIDING INDIVIDUALIZED AFTERCARE RECOVERY SUPPORT FOR CLIENTS AT SIGNIFICANT RISK OF RELAPSE, IMPLEMENT MOU AGREEMENTS WITH AT LEAST 2 SMC VOCATIONAL SERVICES PROVIDERS EACH PROJECT YEAR TO FACILITATE ENTERING EMPLOYMENT FOR CONSUMERS IN RSS, PROVIDE 24 YEARLY PRESENTATIONS ON RSS SERVICES, WELLNESS, AND SELF-CARE TO SMC GOVERNMENT AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES, AND PUBLISH 2 MONTHLY MESSAGES ACROSS 3 SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AIMED AT REDUCING STIGMA ASSOCIATED WITH ADDICTION AND PROMOTING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF RECOVERY SERVICES. FIFTY PEOPLE WILL BE SERVED YEAR 1, 60 IN YEAR 2, AND 75 IN YEAR 3, FOR A TOTAL OF 185 UNDUPLICATED CLIENTS.