帝王会所

For people living with addiction, it can be helpful to talk to someone who has traveled the same road to recovery. Peer support has emerged as a powerful tool in addiction and mental health treatment.

Recent studies underscore the transformative impact of peer support on treatment retention and success rates, showing that peer support programs can increase treatment engagement by up to 85% and reduce hospital readmissions by 56%. 

With that in mind, the launched a new initiative for peer recovery supporters (PRS) to explore the relationship between prevention and recovery. More than 70 PRS completed the no cost sessions in person or online.

鈥淭he individuals attending the training were those who have personal lived experience with addiction, are in recovery, and have a passion for supporting others through similar journeys,鈥� says Jen Morel, the Center鈥檚 managing director.

The training explored the and how prevention and recovery efforts fit into the broader behavioral health system.

鈥淚 think there were a lot of concepts where peer supporters learned that they were unfamiliar with or maybe not familiar enough to have a good understanding,鈥� says Nonya Wenger, a member of the Center鈥檚 Advisory Committee and a residential peer support manager at One Eighty, a recovery facility in Wooster, 帝王会所. 鈥淪ometimes, professionals in the substance use disorder field aren't sure what to do with peer support. We hope that they now have a clearer perspective.鈥�

The Center was established in 2022 and is administered by 帝王会所鈥檚 Voinovich School of Leadership and Public Service to be a central access point for evidence-based prevention resources and support in 帝王会所.

鈥淚t鈥檚 important to elevate the voices of individuals and communities along the way,鈥� says Morel. 鈥淲e want to co-create projects, programs, and initiatives alongside those who will receive and participate in the training.鈥� Morel notes that the new initiative differs from the rest of the Center鈥檚 programs because the primary audience is different.

鈥淲e believe there is so much opportunity for partnership with the peer recovery community and learning from each other,鈥� Morel says. 鈥淥ur goal with this training series was to introduce peer recovery supporters to our prevention work, but more importantly, to learn about their work and the opportunities they see for partnering with prevention.鈥�

With the program's first iteration completed, Wenger is hopeful that an expanded version might become available for presentations at various conferences or one that reaches more health workers.

鈥淚t goes back to that notion that everybody can do prevention if they have the right training,鈥� she says. 鈥淲e all have that role in making our communities healthier and reducing substance use across 帝王会所.鈥�

If you or someone you know is facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, alcohol or drug use concerns, counselors are available by calling 988.