Community Resources and Recovery Supports

The in-person recovery supports available will vary based on the local community, though virtual options exist as well. Maintain a list of all potentially helpful community-based recovery support services and organizations that may help meet patients complex needs. Ideally, engage and develop partnerships with these community organizations. You can educate patients and their families about these available recovery supports. If patients need and are interested in these services, the treatment plan should reflect this interest and include strategies to actively connect them. Some support services are available free of charge and include:

Mutual Aid or Self-Help Groups: These groups are often the most widely available type of recovery support, even in rural areas. They allow individuals in treatment or recovery to learn from the experiences of others and form connections for emotional support.⁴ Some of these groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous, Narcotics Anonymous, and SMART Recovery, are based on a 12-step program. Some support groups are specifically designed for family members of those with SUDs.

Note that there are increasing numbers of on-line or smart phone-based apps that include self-help group sessions, often with peer recovery coaches who serve as conveners and moderators. (See the Resources section for meeting finders.) These virtual alternatives may be especially valuable in rural settings or when there are challenges with transportation.

It should be noted that, historically, some of these groups do not welcome individuals taking medications for OUD, as they do not consider this option to be true abstinence. While attitudes may be shifting and some MOUD-specific 12-step groups are forming, listen to patient feedback and experiences with these groups and encourage attendance at those that offer patients the best support. In some cases, patients may not want to be extremely vocal about taking medications for OUD.

Recovery Coaches and Peer Support Workers: These are lay members of the recovery team. They may be paid or voluntary positions. A variety of titles are used, including peer recovery coach and peer support worker. People in recovery often serve in these roles. They draw on their own lived experience with SUDs to help instill hope and offer emotional support to others.⁴ They also model positive behaviors and help individuals in recovery develop needed life skills, such as how to build social relationships and how to structure free time. They might also serve a navigation role, connecting individuals with OUD to needed community services and addressing any barriers that might interfere with their recovery.⁴ A common example is the role of the sponsor in self-help groups.

Case or Care Management: These services can help establish stability in a patients path to recovery. Case management includes helping patients get access to food, housing, income support, legal aid, transportation, and employment. A safe, stable living environment may be key to recovery and in cases where the latter is lacking, community-based organizations may help connect individuals with OUD to affordable housing or offer substance-free housing options.

Recovery Housing: Another important type of community support is recovery housing.⁴ It is often helpful for a person recovering from OUD to change their social and residential environment, so they have less exposure to those who are actively using illicit substances. Living in recovery supportive homes can help patients draw on mutual support from other residents in a substance-free environment. Learn more about types of housing and resources to access housing.

Employment: Similarly, finding a job can help individuals with OUD by giving them a sense of purpose, structure to their day, and financial stability. Organizations or agencies that provide supported employment or vocational rehabilitation services can help people find job training, apply for jobs, and obtain accommodations to help maintain employment. Learn more about finding meaningful work in recovery.

Probation or Parole Officers: Many people become involved in the criminal justice system, including those living with OUD. For patients involved in the criminal justice system, their probation/parole officer may serve in a case management role. It is common for probation/parole officers to monitor basic need fulfillment such as housing, employment, and drug-free living. These periodic checks can serve as a protective system, and can, in some cases, help to incentivize continued participation in treatment.

Mobile or Web-Based Applications: There are various electronic health applications (apps) that can help provide support whenever and wherever a patient needs it. A few common examples are Affect Therapeutics, CHESS Health, WEConnect Recovery, and DynamiCare Health, all of which provide digital health platforms and solutions to support individuals in their recovery from SUDs. Some of these and other similar apps offer features that allow people to track recovery progress, and include educational material, virtual support groups, peer support, motivational content, contingency management, and cognitive behavioral therapy to support recovery.

Unfortunately, there is no single rating service to vouch for the quality or effectiveness of these apps, and there can be risks with privacy if they are not well designed. There is some evidence that tools of this sort can improve treatment effectiveness.⁵ For more information about the potential usefulness of apps, look to the Integration Academy Topic Brief on Behavioral Health Apps in Primary Care.