In the summer of 2022 I wrote a 6-part series describing the Recovery Alliance Initiative (RAI). A full monograph of that material is at the bottom of this post.
The Alliance, as we call it, is a set of principles and practices that identifies and involves various sectors in the community that serve or touch the SUD population. Through structured gatherings of these sectors the Alliance helps to identify gaps in understanding and gaps in practice – toward forming working groups that build better practices across otherwise siloed and specialized sectors.
“Why”, you may ask?
The answer is, “For the sake of the person served.”
I know of no better way to indicate the importance and potential of the Alliance than to share this one diagram. It shows part of the life journey of one hypothetical person.
The person is encountered by law enforcement, shepherded into recovery court involvement, and helped by treatment. They turn toward personal goals that college and collegiate recovery can help facilitate. And later they move into a licensed profession with the benefits of professional monitoring and recovery advocacy.
Do the systems shown in the diagram know about and understand each other on the local level? Do they work together for the sake of the person served in a proactive and collaborative way that supports recovery advocacy across systems?
Aside from the example shown, what other examples or pathways come to mind where proactive continuity of recovery support across systems, over time, is vital?
In the experience of those of us who helped to form and still support the on-going functions of the Recovery Alliance Initiative, the sectors shown in that diagram are in fact largely siloed. And the siloed nature of those sectors naturally leaves gaps and inefficiencies for the person served.
Below is a monograph that contains the material found in the 6-part series about the Recovery Alliance Initiative. The monograph is convenient for the purposes of the Alliance because the material from the series is now all in one place, and can be moved around with a single link.
As for the material being presented, I would like to emphasize the importance of taking the long view from the perspective of the person we serve. That perspective alone can lead to productive change in our individual silos and improved collaboration across our field as a whole.
The Recovery Alliance Initiative was initially produced during a conversation in 2013, became active in 2014, and remains active to the present day. The Alliance could be thought of as in its ten-year anniversary.
I encourage anyone involved in recovery advocacy, and anyone professionally involved in any sector serving individuals with SUDs, to give this monograph a read. I hope you find it informative, inspiring, challenging, and useful.
Update: since the time that the material in the monograph was written, Terrence Walton was announced as the new Executive Director of NAADAC, The Association for Addiction Professionals. The monograph mentions his role immediately prior to his position at NAADAC.
Recovery Review 