Recovery community centers: Characteristics of new attendees and longitudinal investigation of the predictors and effects of participation

Abstract

Recovery community centers (RCCs) have expanded across the U.S., serving as social "recovery hubs" that increase recovery capital (e.g., employment, housing) by providing resources that clinical care does not provide. While research supports RCCs' general utility, little is known about new participants' characteristics, predictors of engagement, services used, and benefits derived. Greater knowledge would inform the field about RCCs' clinical and public health potential. Method: Prospective, single-group study of individuals (N = 275) starting at RCCs (k = 7) in the northeastern U.S. and reassessed 3 months later regarding the services these individuals used and the benefits they derived (e.g., reduced substance problems, enhanced quality of life [QOL]). Regression and longitudinal models tested theorized relationships. Results: Participants were mostly young to middle-aged, racially diverse, single, unemployed, men and women, with low education and income, suffering from opioid or alcohol use disorder, with a history of psychiatric problems, low QOL, and prior treatment/mutual-help participation. Attendance varied greatly, but on average, was 1-2 times/week, with greater RCC engagement predicted by Hispanic ethnicity, shorter travel time, prior treatment, lower initial social support, and relatively greater baseline QOL (QOL was low overall). Commonly used and highly valued services included social support infrastructures (e.g., recovery coaching/meetings), and technological and employment assistance. In longitudinal analyses (n = 138), the study observed improvements in duration of abstinence, substance problems, psychological well-being, and QOL, but not in recovery assets. Conclusion: Findings generally are consistent with prior observations that RCCs engage and provide benefits for individuals facing the greatest challenges in terms of clinical pathology and low QOL and resources.

Partnering with recovery community centers to build recovery capital by improving access to reproductive health

“…There is a gap in the literature regarding services for those who may become pregnant with SUD who are not currently in treatment or actively engaged in healthcare. Of the approximately 90% of people with SUDs in the US who will not receive treatment this year, 96% report "they do not need treatment" and 38% report "not wanting to be abstinent" (NSDUH, 2017) Some RCOs provide services via recovery community centers (RCCs)in which these services are paired with physical spaces available for drop-in social support, group meetings, activities, harm reduction services, and resources for recovery (Kelly et al, 2021).…”

“…Some RCOs provide services via recovery community centers (RCCs)in which these services are paired with physical spaces available for drop‐in social support, group meetings, activities, harm reduction services, and resources for recovery (Kelly et al, 2021). These physical spaces that also prioritize harm reduction are hybrid RCCs and have the potential to reach a wide variety of individuals, including those who never formally engaged with treatment or recovery services, such as people with a natural recovery pathway.…”

A non-randomized pilot study protocol of a novel social support intervention for individuals in early recovery from hazardous alcohol use

“…While 12-step programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous are arguably the most ubiquitous MHOs, others such as SMART Recovery and LifeRing have growing evidence supporting their effectiveness [ 18 , 19 ]. Another category of RSSs is recovery community centers [ 20 ] that provide multiple services directly related to shorter-term recovery such as recovery coaching and support group meetings, as well as services that may sustain longer-term recovery by building recovery capital, such as employment assistance (e.g., guidance on resume writing, access to computers/internet, job listings) and recreational activities. This is consistent with a recent shift towards more holistic definitions of addiction recovery that encompass multiple domains of wellness beyond abstinence from drugs/alcohol [ 21 ].…”

The growth of recovery capital in clients of recovery residences in Florida, USA: a quantitative pilot study of changes in REC-CAP profile scores

“…Recovery, as a social movement for change [1], has gained increased prominence following a re-evaluation of the meaning of recovery and further questioning of the methods used to measure recovery progress, based, as recovery residences exemplify, on the centrality of peer processes [2]. This prominence derives from a growing evidence base of peer-supported recovery initiatives, including recovery residences [3] and the emerging evidence around recovery community organisations [4]. This development can be described as a transition from a deficit to a strengths-based model predicated on the idea that recovery is a process that takes time (according to the Betty Ford Consensus Panel [5] the typical duration is around five years, with significantly reduced relapse risk beyond this point), and happens between people and within communities [6].…”