Georgia Council for Recovery

PEER SUPPORT - This program includes screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment; an anti-stigma billboard campaign featuring peers in recovery, giving a positive message; coaching for students at a local high school; neonatal peer work force taking place in a hospital NICU department making available a peer recovery coach to new and expecting mothers at risk of giving birth; medicated assisted treatment (Warm Line) providing recovery coaching to individuals entering the emergency dept due to substance use related incidents - the CARES Warm Line provides a year round free telephone and text peer recovery support phone line; provides peer support and introduces Whole Health Action Mgmt principals to Medicare and Medicare/Medicaid beneficiaries with mental illness and opiod use/substance abuse disorder in order to improve care outcomes.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING - Develops and organizes the CARES curriculum by having focused conversations with stakeholders across the state of Georgia who work in the substance use disorder treatment and recovery support fields. Applicants attend a training course, pass certification exam, upon completion can provide planning to individuals and group recovery supports. GCSA conducts workshops and two MAR CARES Academy sessions targeting peers using medication to support their successful recovery. New staff orientation educates new staff at 4 of Georgia's regional psychiatric hospitals by sharing their lived experiences and promote recovery resources in efforts to combat the stigma against individuals living with substance use disorder and mental health challenges. GCSA provides organizations across the country with technical assistance by identifying strengths within organizations, developing processes to overcoming barriers and collaborating across systems in the field of substance abuse disorder to bridge the gap across agencies.

RECOVERY AWARENESS - administration of a recovery awareness campaign with mini-grants and community forums in the six behaviorial health and developmental disabilities regions in order to gather input from external stakeholders, specifically people seeking or in recovery, their families and allies. During the training and education events people are taught how to effectively speak to the public about recovery and how to advocate for effective services that support long term recovery.

BUILDING RECOVERY COMMUNITIES - Develops statewide community symposiums using local resources and peer leaders in recovery oriented initiatives and to bill capacity among the recovery community organizations and expand statewide peer recovery support services in Georgia.