Serenity recovery connection building communities of recovery - serenity recovery connection's building communities of recovery project will expand peer-led recovery support, workforce development,…

The Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration awarded Serenity Recovery Connection $350,000 on September 30, 2026, under the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Projects of Regional and National Significance program (CFDA 93.490).

The award funds Serenity Recovery Connection's Building Communities of Recovery project, which expands peer-led recovery support, workforce development, justice and healthcare transition support, rural outreach, recovery-ready workplace education, and whole-person recovery navigation across seven Colorado counties: El Paso, Fremont, Chaffee, Custer, Park, Pueblo, and Teller. The project serves adults with substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder, and co-occurring substance use and mental health conditions who face elevated barriers to long-term recovery. The target population includes individuals in early, active, and long-term recovery; people transitioning from incarceration, hospitalization, crisis services, homelessness, or treatment; rural residents; veterans; people experiencing homelessness or housing instability; unemployed or underemployed individuals; and those who are uninsured, underinsured, or Medicaid/Medicare-enrolled.

The project serves 2,000 unduplicated adults annually across the three-year period of performance, representing up to 6,000 annual service slots. Services are delivered by individuals with lived experience through Serenity Recovery Connection's recovery community center and include peer recovery support services, motivational interviewing, trauma-informed care, recovery capital and whole-person wellness planning, warm handoffs, reentry support, workforce development, and tobacco or nicotine cessation education and referral.

Place of performance is Colorado Springs, Colorado. The period of performance runs from September 30, 2026, through September 29, 2029.

Serenity recovery connection building communities of recovery - serenity recovery connection's building communities of recovery project will expand peer-led recovery support, workforce development, justice and healthcare transition support, rural outreach, recovery-ready workplace education, and whole-person recovery navigation across seven colorado counties. The project will serve adults with substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder, and CO-occurring substance use and mental health conditions who experience elevated barriers to long-term recovery. Serenity recovery connection (SRC) will implement the project across EL paso, fremont, chaffee, custer, park, pueblo, and teller counties, colorado, a catchment area with an estimated 1,042,389 residents. SRC will serve 2,000 unduplicated adults annually, representing up to 6,000 annual service slots over the three-year project period. The population to be served includes adults ages 18 and older across the adult lifespan, with substance use disorder, including opioid use disorder, and/or CO-occurring substance use and mental health conditions and include individuals in early, active, and long-term recovery; people transitioning from incarceration, hospitalization, crisis services, homelessness, or treatment; rural residents; veterans; people experiencing homelessness or housing instability; people who are unemployed or underemployed; and individuals who are uninsured, underinsured, or enrolled in medicaid/medicare. SRC will implement evidence-based and evidence-informed strategies, including peer recovery support services, motivational interviewing/motivational enhancement approaches, trauma-informed care, recovery capital and whole-person wellness planning, warm handoffs, reentry support, workforce development, recovery-ready workplace education, and tobacco/nicotine cessation education and referral. Services will be delivered by individuals with lived experience through SRC's recovery community center, rural outreach sites, justice settings, healthcare referral pathways, community partner locations, telephone recovery support, support groups, and workforce development activities. SRC will also strengthen the peer recovery workforce through training, supervision, mentorship, coaching community, paid internship/apprenticeship opportunities, credential preparation, and employer partnerships. The project goals are to: 1) expand access to peer recovery support services for adults with SUD/OUD and CO-occurring needs; 2) strengthen transitions from justice, healthcare, crisis, homelessness, and treatment systems into long-term recovery support; 3) strengthen the peer recovery workforce through training, supervision, mentorship, and employment pathways; 4) advance recovery-supportive employment and recovery-ready workplace practices; and 5) support whole-person recovery and long-term recovery stability. Measurable objectives include serving 2,000 adults annually; delivering services through at least six access points; connecting at least 1,000 participants annually to treatment, mat/moud, behavioral health, housing/recovery housing, employment, benefits, transportation, family, and community supports; ensuring at least 70% of ongoing prss participants demonstrate increased recovery capital, improved wellness, or progress toward individualized recovery goals; supporting at least 10 individuals annually through internship/apprenticeship, credential preparation, or employment-related peer workforce pathways; providing recovery-ready workplace outreach and education to employers; integrating tobacco/nicotine cessation education and referral into prss; and using participant data, partner feedback, and CQI findings to improve services and support long-term recovery, sobriety, stability, and self-sufficiency.