Peers Reach Out Supporting Peers to Embrace Recovery (PROSPER): A Center for Substance Abuse Treatment Recovery Community Services Program

Peer Recovery Support for Individuals With Substance Use Disorders: Assessing the Evidence

“…Peer recovery services should involve peers in all aspects of the structure, leadership, goals, design, and overall strategy of the services (3). Consumer and peer choice in the selection of services (5,8) and emphasis on peer ethics and peer training (4,(6)(7)(8)16) are essential for both the peer provider and the consumer. Peer recovery support emphasizes the valuable role of experiential knowledge (5)(6)(7)(8)(9)(14)(15)(16)(17).…”

“…Target populations for the identified studies included women and men who were recently incarcerated (16), women in rural settings with depression and HIV (25), women who were pregnant or postpartum (24), women involved as parents with the foster care system (23), female sex workers (22), and individuals receiving medical care (17,20,21), participating in permanent supported housing (9), or generally in recovery (14). One study focused on adults with co-occurring serious mental illness (17).…”

“…The literature search revealed two RCTs that met the inclusion criteria and employed good methods (20,21), four quasi-experimental studies (17,(22)(23)(24), four studies with pre-post service comparisons (9,14,16,25), and one review (3). Table 2 provides summaries of each study.…”

A Contemporary New Role for Counselors in Recovery: Recovery Coaches in Communities of Recovery

“…In addition to being valued coaches in the recovery process they can also develop a cadre of other coaches drawn from the recovering community. These new additions to the field can take on a significant role in the role of peer coach or persons experiencing alcohol or drug problems (Andreas, Davis, & Wilson, 2010). These valued coaches are familiar and knowledgeable of the addiction process and recovery culture, having travelled through both with each one having its own distinct risks and trappings (White, 1996).…”

An Evaluation Model for Social Work with Substance Abusers

“…al., 2010). Treatments without peer support showed worse results, as only 38, 8% of those who received only outpatient treatment and 11, 1% of those who have received only residential treatment were advanced or stayed substance-free (see also Andreas, Ja & Wilson, 2010).…”