Summit County to Participate in Choice for Recovery Program

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Summit County to Participate in Choice for Recovery Program

The Ohio Department of Alcohol & Drug Addiction Services (ODADAS) was recently awarded a three year grant to implement the Choice for Recovery Program. The program is funded under Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Access to Recovery ATR) program.  Summit County is one of three Counties selected to participate in the program.

Ohio’s ATR program, named “Choice for Recovery”, aids in state-supported community re-entry efforts. Adults involved in the criminal justice system will have expanded access and choice to resources needed to conquer addiction.  The ATR approach to treatment and recovery support services is unique in that it incorporates both faith-based and community-based options.

Ohio’s Choice for Recovery program hopes to achieve the following goals:

w To provide client choice by offering clients the “ability to choose providers and recovery support services that they believe will help them the most”.

w   To improve rate of access to services, program retention and social supports for clients participating in the program. Additionally, SAMHSA is seeking to improve rates of abstinence, employment, educational achievement, and family functioning of the targeted population, while reducing recidivism.

w   To expand the “array of recovery support services available by identifying and fostering relationships with non-traditional faith based and community based providers”.

Recovery support services are defined as an array of non-clinical, adjunctive activities, resources, relationships, and services designed to provide support and assistance to an individual as they reintegrate into the community, participate in clinical treatment or work to improve overall functioning as they maintain their long-term recovery goals. Temporary housing assistance, employment skill building, transportation, and cultural alternative activities are a few examples.

SAMHSA’s Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Director, H. Westley Clark, M.D., J.D., M.P.H, will be in Akron on January 30th, 2008 as part of Ohio ’s grant kickoff. The kick-off  will provide participants with an overview of the program as well as some specific details about local implementation. For additional information, please contact Jerry Craig at the ADM Board, 330-762-3500 or via email: craigg@admboard.org