Launch of peer recovery services in washington state's south puget sound region - peer washington is proposing to improve behavioral health outcomes for adults with substance use disorder (suds) and…

Launch of peer recovery services in washington state's south puget sound region - peer washington is proposing to improve behavioral health outcomes for adults with substance use disorder (suds) and CO-occurring mental health and suds through our "launch of peer recovery services in washington state's south puget sound region" project. This project will provide new, evidence-based peer recovery services in an underserved, predominantly rural region, integrating RCO-provided peer services into the continuum of care. This project will open a new service site, to be called peer olympia, to serve adults in thurston county, and extending to reach residents of neighboring mason, lewis, and grays harbor counties. Peer services at the new site will be open to all adults in recovery, with a particular focus on two special populations: 1) veterans, active-duty military, and their families; 2) adults who are unhoused. These populations are both disproportionately represented in thurston county and disproportionately impacted by behavioral health issues. Yet the south puget sound region has a major GAP in treatment and recovery services, with RCO-provided peer recovery services currently nonexistent. Samhsa bcor funding will directly support new access to evidence-based RCO-provided peer recovery services through 1) the opening of a new location for the provision of services including peer coaching; socialization, education, and support groups; resource referral; supported employment; supportive housing; and crisis intervention and support; and 2) partnering with local organizations that serve our focus populations to foster peer services workforce capacity development. The overall project goal is to improve behavioral health outcomes in the south puget sound region. Key programmatic objectives for participants in recovery include: 1) 75% of participants remain active in recovery support services after six months; and 2) 65% of participants report they have maintained their recovery goals over the previous 30 days after six months. This project will serve a total of 268 people: 70, 88, 110 respectively in project years one through three. Peer washington is a recovery community organization (RCO) with a 37-year history of service to adults with behavioral health issues.