Navigating the health care system can be complex and confusing, but for those experiencing substance use disorder (SUD), these challenges can become significant barriers to care. Behavioral health services and addiction treatment options are often delivered by programs that are organizationally, geographically, culturally, and financially disconnected from the general healthcare delivery system. As a result, four out of five people who need substance use treatment do not receive it.

To eliminate barriers and to ensure that people receive the type of care and support they need, it is critical that we work to expand and bolster the addiction treatment workforce. Recovery coaches, who bring lived experience with substance use and recovery, can help people navigate these systems and ensure they have access to care options that best meet their needs.

In 2022, RIZE awarded one-time grants for training opportunities that provide recovery coaches with concrete tools and strategies to become effective recovery coach supervisors and to improve their ability to support people with co-occurring disorders. RIZE awarded grants within the following tracks: Upskilling into supervisory roles and Improving support for people with co-occurring disorder:

Choice Recovery Coaching will utilize this funding to support the expansion of the peer recovery coach workforce within Massachusetts. The funding will specifically support the facilitation of “Coaching Recovery and Mental Wellness” to train recovery coaches in supporting individuals with co-occurring disorders like SUD and mental illness.

Torchlight Recovery will utilize this funding to develop culturally responsive training programs and emphasize upskilling so recovery coaches can transition into leadership and supervisory roles. Coaches will receive unconscious bias training, learn strategies to foster inclusion, and use mindful inquiry to reduce bias.