CCAR Recovery Centers In Connecticut

CORE ELEMENTS OF A RECOVERY COMMUNITY CENTER

Overview

Joel Award
The Hartford Recovery Center

A Recovery Community Center (RCC) is a recovery oriented sanctuary anchored in the heart of the community. It exists to put a face on recovery, to build recovery capital and to serve as a physical location where CCAR can organize the local recovery community's ability to care. An RCC is not a treatment agency, it is not a 12 Step club, it is not a drop-in center although aspects of all of these are apparent. An RCC will deliver peer-to-peer recovery support services using its volunteer force as the deliverers of these services. An RCC is not a place for people to simply hang out, watch TV, play cards or pool and attend a daily meeting. We are not seeking to duplicate existing resources. Yet, an RCC will host specific social events. An RCC is not a drop-in center whose primary purpose is to refer and help people get into treatment. Obviously, people in need of help will enter the RCC and we will do everything in our power to assist them.

An RCC maintains a structured schedule where recovery-related workshops, trainings, meetings, services and social events are consistently delivered. An RCC targets people in recovery, family members and friends to serve as CCAR Volunteers, who in turn help those coming up behind them. An RCC is a place where a person with long-term recovery can give back. An RRC is also a place to find workshops, training and educational sessions to enhance one's own recovery. An RCC exists as a recovery resource for the local community. CCAR developed these Core Elements of a Recovery Community Center based on our vision and experience.

Site

A Recovery Community Center should be at a minimum 2,500 square feet and have these standard areas:

  • Group/Training room that seats a minimum of 50
  • Computer room that can comfortably hold at least 3 computers (high speed internet capable)
  • Two offices: one for the Senior Peer Services Coordinator and the other for additional staff
  • Reception area
  • Telephone Room, private for making Telephone Recovery Support calls with at least three phones and phone lines
  • Lounge area for reading, socializing
  • Kitchen area

Location: CCAR believes by having a prominent, visible location whose sole purpose is to promote recovery, we literally bring recovery from church basements onto Main Street. The location should also be easily accessible to those without personal transportation.

Administration

At a minimum, an effective Recovery Community Center needs the following staff:

  • One full time Recovery Community Center Manager, in effect, the "director" of the RCC. Ideally, this person will be intimately familiar with the local recovery community and knowledgeable of all local social services, businesses, faith organizations and neighborhoods.
  • One Volunteer Coordinator to assist the Recovery Community Center Manager.
  • One Administrative Assistant

The Recovery Community Center Manager will be given an annual budget to provide programming, training, workshops and social events.

The staff and selected volunteers of an RCC will participate in local and statewide fundraising activities.

Programming

All program efforts at an RCC are overseen by the CCAR paid staff and are influenced by the RCC Advisory Council and the local recovery community.

Programming is determined through two sources

  • The statewide Central Office and
  • The Advisory Council representative of the local recovery community.

Currently, programming coming from the Central Office consists of

  • Telephone Recovery Support
  • Family/Community Education
  • Family Support Groups
  • All-Recovery Groups
  • Volunteer Trainings
  • Recovery Training Series

Recovery Coaching that includes peer one-on-one interaction should be an integral part of every RCC. CCAR believes Recovery Coaching is best delivered by a Volunteer (usually another person in recovery) who has been trained via the guidelines in the CCAR Volunteer Management System.

An RCC will provide support of recovery housing through knowledge and application of the Recovery Housing Project database.

An RCC will train volunteers to provide child care services for parents involved in RCC activities.

An RCC will provide employment support to recoverees to help build personal recovery capital.

An RCC will deliver the CCAR Recovery Training Series using peer volunteers who have trained to conduct such education programs.

An RCC will organize and/or host social activities that are member and committee driven and supported by peer volunteers.

An RCC will publish a monthly schedule of activities. This schedule will be posted prominently in the RCC itself and available on the internet.

Volunteers

Volunteers are CCAR's number one resource and must be treated as such. Each RCC will make an outstanding effort to recruit, train, engage, supervise and recognize CCAR volunteers.

All programs and services in an RCC are best implemented by volunteers who are trained and supported through the Volunteer Management System. Staff is paid to support the Volunteers.

A statewide Volunteer Manager will work with the staff of each RCC and the Central Office Management Team to achieve the goals and objectives of the Volunteer Management System.

General

An RCC must be Volunteer-driven, member-inspired and premised on peer support.

An RCC must have clear Policies and Procedures that are readily available to the membership and reviewed every year.

An RCC will have Rules of Conduct clearly posted.

Ideally, an RCC would have a van to transport people and to help with access to peer-to-peer recovery support.

An RCC will have computers for individuals in recovery with high-speed internet connections.

An RCC will have at least one large screen TV, DVD player, and VCR for training, workshops and seminars. The TV will not be hooked up to cable, dish or any other connection that allows for multiple channel TV viewing.

All RCC staff and appropriate Volunteers will be trained to use the on-line database and the internet to access services for recoverees. Every RCC might also have a Community Resources Book with pertinent forms and applications that is updated quarterly.

An RCC will publish a quarterly newsletter detailing past activities and events. The newsletter will also serve to publicize future activities and events.

An RCC will not be open on Holidays. Holidays are times for paid staff and dedicated Volunteers to take time away for rest and rejuvenation. CCAR understands that Holidays may be a tough time for some individuals and will rely on other natural recovery supports to assist those individuals.