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The Bridge Recovery Community Center (BRCC) will expand access to substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring substance use and mental health disorders (COD) peer support services to adult men and women living in the City of Bridgeport, CT, and surrounding areas, as well as those returning to the community from incarceration. From 2009-2018, Connecticut’s rate of opioid-involved mortality has been among the five highest in the country, with the rates of opioid-involved fatal overdose second only to New York State. During this period, the incidence of opioid-involved fatal overdoses in Connecticut (CT) increased by 350%, and the rate of synthetic opioid deaths increased by 126%. Among CT residents who died of opioid overdose from 2007-2019, Latino overdose rates increased from 5.7 to 21.6 people per 100,000. African Americans also had a dramatic increase, from 4.8 to 18.7 per capita (NIDA, 2019). In 2019, CT dropped to seventh in the nation for rates of drug overdose at 34.7 deaths per 100,000 (NCHS, 2021). The latest data reflects a decline in the rate of prescription opioid and heroin overdoses beginning in 2018. However, the rate of fatalities involving synthetic opioids, particularly fentanyl dramatically increased from 2012-2018. BRCC Peer Support Specialists with lived experience will meet with clients to engage them in trauma-informed recovery support services. Our evidence-based peer support services, which are based on the Recovery Oriented System of Care model, will provide integrated services within the CRJ behavioral health program. BRCC will provide group and individual recovery support services, on-site harm reduction education, access to Narcan, fentanyl strips, HIV/Hep C education, HIV testing, housing navigation services, educational/employment support, and connections to additional services in the community such as primary care. BRCC will also work with a Community Advisory Committee, the Bridgeport Reentry Roundtable, and state and local health and criminal justice officials to implement the program, assess quality and access, and work on sustainability efforts. The overall goals of BRCC are to improve the behavioral health and recovery support of men and women in the Bridgeport area. BRCC will expand access to care, reduce recidivism, increase social connectedness, increase employment, and increase safe and secure housing for this highly vulnerable population.

Project Abstract Project Name: Recovery Support Services Program for Salt Lake County Specialty Courts Applicant Organization: Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness (USARA) Project Summary: Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness (USARA) proposes to expand and enhance Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) for justice involved individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD), including those in recovery from these disorders, who are participating in Salt Lake County Specialty Courts, including: Adult Felony Drug Courts, Family Recovery Courts, Alternative Substance Addiction Program (ASAP) Courts, and Veterans SU/MH Court. Population to be served: 100 unduplicated people will be served annually, with 500 being served over the life of the project, as evidenced by GPRA completion. The population of focus will be individuals over the age of 18 who have experienced substance misuse or have an identified substance use disorder (SUD), who are engaged in a Salt Lake County Specialty Court program and voluntarily want to engage with Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS). In addition, 200 family members will be served, or approximately 40 family members per year. Strategies/interventions: Through the achievement of project goals and objectives, we plan to: 1) Establish Peer Recovery Support Services (PRSS) in partnership with the Salt Lake County Specialty Court system; 2) Provide PRSS to individuals with SUD or COD who are involved with the Salt Lake County Specialty Court System; 3) Increase recovery capital and social determinants of health for participants engaged in USARA’s PRSS program; 4) Provide support to families of individuals with SUD or COD in the form of support group meetings, education, and navigation services; and 5) Provide supervision, training, and mentorship to individuals providing PRSS and engage in outreach to diverse populations for both peer specialists and peer supervisors. USARA’s PRSS model is a strength-based approach that celebrates participant successes, helps participants advocate for themselves which increases a feeling of personal empowerment vs. feeling disempowered by the criminal justice process and potential sanctions for court program violations. Additional benefits for participants include, following their Commencement from Specialty Court, opportunities to stay engaged with USARA’s PRSS. Each graduate is personally invited to become involved in the USARA Addiction Recovery Council (ARC) where they can be an advocate for themselves and others to influence changes in Specialty Court programs or other issues impacting people with SUDs, criminal justice involvement, public health issues, local and state policies, etc. Some participants may want to become a Certified Peer Support Specialist themselves and USARA will assist them with the process and application to the state of Utah.

Wilkes County, also known as the moonshine capital of America and birthplace of NASCAR racing, is in the Appalachian region of North Carolina. Wilkes is considered a rural community which has been devastated by the consequences of substance use and health disparities. As word of our authentic services has spread, so has our numbers of out of county participants, most of whom are from Surry and Watauga Counties. This recent influx in non-Wilkes participants further proves the need for an expansion of our services. Through the Recovery Community Services Program Grant, Wilkes Recovery Revolution, Inc. will address three service gaps that most affect our community: the lack of community engagement and awareness; low access to services; and transportation barriers. Our project will provide peer recovery support services to 1,500 individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD), including those in recovery from these disorders. These services, in conjunction with clinical treatment services, are an integral component of the recovery process for many people and as such, we will partner with devoted partners who are committed to supporting individuals who are seeking long-term recovery support services (RSS) in their communities. Wilkes Recovery Revolution, Inc. believes that through the wisdom of lived experiences and support of this funding we will capitalize on our existing peer run services to meet the needs of more individuals and create a community where recovery is not only possible but probable.

Abstract Fairbanks Native Association (FNA), in collaboration with the 22-member FNA-sponsored Behavioral Health Community Coalition (BHCC), is applying for the SAMHSA “Recovery Community Services Program.” The purpose of this program is to provide peer recovery support services to individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) or co-occurring substance use and mental disorders (COD), including those in recovery from these disorders. To meet the recovery support service and healing needs of the target population FNA proposes the Athabascan Drop-In Recovery Center (Recovery Center). All required and other services will be provided on-site at this center. The Recovery Center will be a welcoming environment focused on enhancing long-term recovery. The target population, American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) with SUD or COD, are a highly at-risk group that needs to heal from the effects of cultural disruption, boarding schools, intergenerational trauma, substance abuse, and mental illness before recovery is achievable. To address this, the Recovery Center is guided by Athabascan values and premised on the concept of “cultural healing,” a concept that reconnects people to the vibrancy and strengths of their culture and in doing so, enhances health and wellness (Network for Public Health Law, n.d.). Teaching in Alaska Native arts connects clients to their culture and strengthens their sense of identity, which is key to adapting to an ever-changing world dominated by a non-Native culture. The Recovery Center will be open seven days a week and staffed by Peer Support Specialists. It will be an alcohol and drug free safe space for interacting with peers with couches, comfortable chairs, computer stations, a television, and art stations. Weekly groups will include services centered on Athabascan values including Recovery Support, Talking Circle, Alaska Native Art, Evidence-Based Family Training, Elder Involvement, American Indian Life Skills Training, Employment Counseling, and Community Service. The Recovery Center will serve 190 individuals - including youth, adults, and family members - over the first five years. A Peer Outreach Specialist will conduct outreach including street outreach to recruit clients and raise awareness of recovery support provided by FNA’s Behavioral Health Service department and the Behavioral Health Community Coalition’s System of Care support services. A locally-raised Athabascan (contractor) will train and mentor the Peer Project Director throughout the project tenure in culturally-specific service strategies. *FNA serves both American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/AN) by mutual agreement