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WHAT WORKS

RECOVERY COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) are non-clinical, peer-led organizations that provide social support, encouragement, and accountability, complementing formal treatment and extending support into the community. They promote long-term recovery by fostering connection and belonging, skill-building and advocacy, hope, purpose, and personal growth. Their accessibility and cost-effectiveness make them an essential, scalable solution for supporting individuals before, during, and after treatment. 

Social Support and Relapse Prevention

  • RCOs provide non-clinical recovery support through peer coaching, advocacy, and skill-building workshops.

  • Research from Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment (2015) indicates that individuals engaged with RCOs experience improved housing stability, employment rates, and overall quality of life.

  • Recovery communities foster a sense of belonging and reduce isolation, which is critical in preventing relapse.

  • A study in Addiction Research & Theory (2011) showed that individuals with strong social support networks, such as those provided by recovery groups, are significantly less likely to relapse.

  • Participation in RCOs helps individuals build coping strategies for triggers and stressors, further reducing the risk of relapse.

Psychological and Emotional Benefits

  • Recovery communities often lead to improved mental health outcomes, such as reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, as shown in research from Substance Abuse and Rehabilitation (2015).

  • Provides a framework that instills hope and meaning, which are protective factors against addiction recurrence.

Accessibility and Cost-Effectiveness

  • Recovery Community Organizations are widely accessible and free of cost, making them a cost-effective supplement to formal treatment.

  • Their low-barrier model allows individuals to engage at their own pace based on personal needs.

Increased Treatment Retention

  • A study in Drug and Alcohol Dependence (2016) found that individuals who participate in mutual aid groups are more likely to adhere to formal treatment plans, enhancing overall success rates.

  • Ongoing engagement with recovery groups helps sustain the gains made during residential or outpatient treatment.

Ideal Environment for Peer Support

  • Certified Peer Supporters will find RCOs provide a work environment where their skills are valued and respected, improving outcomes for those they serve.

  • RCOs center lived experience and respect peer leadership

  • They offer meaningful, recovery-focused employment

  • RCOs increase peer impact and improve outcomes across the community

PEER SUPPORT

Peer support is a proven, person-centered approach to recovery. Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS) are individuals in long-term recovery who are trained to support others navigating substance use recovery. They offer hope, mentorship, advocacy, and connections to services — based on lived experience, not clinical treatment. 

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At OCAAR, we know that one of the most powerful tools in recovery is connection—especially with someone who’s been there. Certified Peer Recovery Supporters (CPRS) are individuals with lived experience of recovery from substance use disorder who use their experience to support others on their recovery journey.

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Peer support works because it builds trust, reduces stigma, and offers hope. It is grounded in mutual respect and shared lived experience—not clinical treatment, but complementary to it. Whether in recovery housing, community settings, emergency departments, or justice-involved programs, peer supporters provide mentorship, advocacy, and navigation support in a way that professionals without lived experience cannot. OCAAR advocates for the expansion and sustainable funding of peer support across Ohio. We believe recovery is not a one-size-fits-all process, and peer support meets people where they are—walking alongside them as they define and pursue their own recovery.

Why It Works

  • Peer support is linked to a decrease in return to use rates

  • Participants with peers are  more likely to stay in treatment

  • Use of peers in emergency departments leads to a savings per patient

  • Peer programs reduce recidivism 

  • Reported increase in housing, employment and social connection

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Where Peer Support Makes a Difference

  • Hospitals and Emergency Rooms

  • Recovery Housing

  • Justice Settings

  • Recovery Community Organizations

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RECOVERY HOUSING

According to the Ohio Revised Code Section 340.01 (A)(3) "Recovery Housing" means housing for individuals recovering from drug addiction that provides an alcohol and drug-free living environment, peer support, assistance with obtaining drug addiction services and other drug addiction recovery assistance.

What makes recovery housing effective?

​Recovery homes offer stability, structure, and connection, critical components for individuals transitioning out of treatment or the justice system, or seeking to rebuild their lives in early recovery. Recovery homes provide:

  • Drug and alcohol-free environment

  • Peer support and shared accountability

  • Resident involvement in self-governance

  • Connection to employment, education, and community resources

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Outcomes

Recovery housing has many positive outcomes for residents and alumni, including:

  • Decreased substance use

  • Reduced likelihood of return to use

  • Lower rates of incarceration

  • Higher income

  • Increased employment

(Prescott, n.d.)

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Cost-Effective and Community-Driven

Recovery housing reduces costs to systems by:

  • Preventing return to use 

  • Reducing the use of emergency services and incarceration

  • Supporting reentry and self-sufficiency 

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To learn more about the effectiveness of recovery housing, visit our community partner, Ohio Recovery Housing at www.ohiorecoveryhousing.org. 

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REDUCING STIGMA

Stigma plays a significant role in the outcomes of every other effort to promote recovery. Until we all understand that substance abuse disorder is a disease similar to cancer or diabetes, we will continue to unsuccessfully treat it like a moral failing.

 

Substance abuse disorder is widely recognized as a disease due to substantial evidence demonstrating its impact on brain function, behavior, and overall health. 

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​Recognizing SUD as a disease fosters a more compassionate and effective approach to treatment, reducing stigma and encouraging individuals to seek necessary care.​

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Stigma prevents people from seeking help, fuels shame and isolation, leads to discrimination, misrepresents addiction as a moral failing, and reduces public support for policies.

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Increased Willingness to Seek Treatment

  • Studies indicate that stigma is one of the primary barriers preventing individuals from seeking help for SUD. When stigma is reduced, individuals are more likely to acknowledge their challenges and pursue treatment. For example, a 2020 review in The Lancet found that public health campaigns to reduce stigma improved treatment uptake for SUD.

 

Improved Retention in Treatment

  • Lower stigma within healthcare settings leads to better patient engagement and retention. Research published in Substance Use & Misuse (2019) showed that patients in nonjudgmental, stigma-free environments were more likely to adhere to treatment plans and complete programs.

 

Enhanced Social Support

  • Reducing stigma improves relationships with family, friends, and community, providing essential emotional and practical support for recovery. A study in Addiction Research & Theory (2021) highlighted that social acceptance significantly increases the chances of sustained recovery.

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Better Mental Health Outcomes

  • Stigma is linked to shame, low self-esteem, and depression, which can exacerbate substance use. Reducing stigma alleviates these mental health challenges, creating a foundation for successful recovery. A 2018 study in Psychiatric Services found that addressing internalized stigma improved recovery outcomes for individuals with SUD.

 

Improved Access to Harm Reduction Services

  • Communities that adopt stigma-reduction strategies, such as normalizing harm reduction services (e.g., syringe exchange programs or naloxone distribution), see reduced rates of overdose deaths and disease transmission, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

MEDICALLY ASSISTED TREATMENT

Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) is widely recognized as an evidence-based approach to treating substance use disorders, particularly opioid and alcohol addictions. It combines medications with counseling and behavioral therapies to address the whole patient. Below is a summary of evidence and research supporting MAT's effectiveness:

Effectiveness of MAT for Opioid Use Disorder (MOUD)

  1. Reduction in Mortality

    • A meta-analysis published in The Lancet (2017) found that medications such as methadone and buprenorphine reduced mortality rates among individuals with OUD by 50% or more compared to those without treatment.

    • Studies show that people receiving MAT are less likely to die from overdoses than those who do not receive medication.

  2. Improved Retention in Treatment

    • Research in JAMA Psychiatry (2018) demonstrated that individuals receiving buprenorphine or methadone were significantly more likely to stay in treatment compared to those receiving non-medication therapies.

    • Methadone and buprenorphine have been shown to increase retention rates in treatment by stabilizing withdrawal symptoms and reducing cravings.

  3. Reduction in Illicit Drug Use

    • A systematic review in The Cochrane Library (2009) found that MAT significantly reduces heroin use among people with OUD compared to placebo or no medication.

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Effectiveness of MAT for Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)

  1. Medications

    • Naltrexone: Blocks the euphoric effects of alcohol and reduces cravings. A study in JAMA Psychiatry (2018) found that individuals using extended-release naltrexone had significantly fewer heavy drinking days.

    • Acamprosate: Helps maintain abstinence by reducing withdrawal symptoms. Evidence from The Cochrane Library (2014) indicates that acamprosate increases the likelihood of maintaining abstinence after detoxification.

    • Disulfiram: Creates an adverse reaction when alcohol is consumed, discouraging use. While less commonly prescribed, it has shown effectiveness in individuals highly motivated to quit drinking.

  2. Improved Treatment Outcomes

    • Combining medications with counseling and support improves abstinence rates and reduces relapse rates compared to therapy alone.

Broader Benefits of MAT

  1. Reduction in Disease Transmission

    • MAT has been linked to reductions in behaviors that spread infectious diseases, such as needle sharing, thereby reducing the prevalence of HIV and Hepatitis C.

  2. Decreased Criminal Activity

    • Studies in The New England Journal of Medicine (2018) show that individuals on MAT report fewer arrests and engagement in illegal activities compared to those without treatment.

  3. Cost-Effectiveness

    • MAT reduces healthcare costs by decreasing emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and criminal justice expenses. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) highlights MAT as cost-effective in the long term.

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