Recovery Is the New High proposes county recovery-education series, peer supports

Will Taylor, a representative of the nonprofit Recovery Is the New High, presented a proposal titled “Empowered Communities Through recovery education” to the Coffee County Opioid Abatement Fund Committee on Feb. 26.

The proposal seeks funding for a 12-month initiative of community education, professional trainings and two recovery celebrations aimed at increasing awareness, reducing stigma and connecting people to recovery support services. Taylor described the approach as implementing a “recovery ecosystem” that pairs prevention and recovery supports, vocational and life-skills training, trauma-informed workshops and warm handoffs to treatment and housing resources. He said the program would include subject-matter experts and partnerships with faith-based groups, recovery court and workforce development organizations.

Why it matters: The applicant presented a model intended to reach both people already in recovery and community members who may need prevention or early-support services. Taylor estimated that the project would increase awareness and access to services for a broad population in Coffee County; his application documents an anticipated reach figure but applies statewide budgeting too.

Key details from the presentation: Taylor said the organization has a statewide footprint and that the Coffee County project is intended as a county-level implementation of its recovery ecosystem model. The application asks the county for a portion of program costs (Taylor referred to a $30,000 county request in Q&A) to cover venue rentals, materials and a contract position for a certified peer recovery specialist (CPRS). Taylor described the CPRS credential requirements as: two years of active recovery, a 40-hour training and 75 hours of supervised practice under state rules. He said the CPRS would help with exit planning for justice-involved individuals and local outreach, and that Recovery Is the New High uses data analytics for project monitoring.

Concerns and committee questions: Committee members asked how applicants recruit participants, whether services would be locally provided or managed from Nashville, and how much of the budget would be spent inside Coffee County rather than statewide. Taylor said the group currently maintains local contact methods (website with live chat, resource bags, and partner referrals) and that the county funds requested would be allocated to local activities and stipends. He also acknowledged that template access on the county website was difficult for some applicants and that CTAS and SMART initiative staff have assisted.

Next steps: The committee recorded Taylor’s presentation for consideration and will prioritize the project when it meets March 12 to allocate funds under the state rubric.