With the support of State Opioid Response grant funding, Universities across Virginia are working to change this dynamic with Collegiate Recovery Programs (CRP), which are on-campus communities specialized for students in recovery. CRPs provide services and supportive spaces that address the entire range of student needs.

September is National Recovery Month. In this blog we dive into the world of peer recovery specialists. Peer recovery specialists, often referred to as "peers," are individuals with lived experience of substance use, mental health, or co-occurring disorders who provide support to those who are coping with similar diagnoses. Relationships between peer supporters and the individuals who receive peer services are based on mutuality, agency, and empowerment.

Welcome to the final part of our series in which we share findings from year one of Virginia’s State Opioid Response (SOR) Grant. This week, we continue our series with a look at progress related to Virginia's recovery efforts. We also share reflections on how recovery services agencies and Peer Recovery Specialists have responded to the emerging COVID-19 crisis, and how their work has quickly adapted to avoid disruptions in recovery services.

As recently as three weeks ago, the opioid epidemic was one of the largest public health crises facing America. With the onset of a global pandemic, public health has been thrust into a new spotlight, and attention has shifted to doing everything in our power to ‘flatten the curve’. Yet for many, addressing the behavioral health needs of ourselves, our families, and our communities remains critically important.

In a four-part series in the coming weeks, we will highlight key findings from one of OMNI’s behavioral health projects—an evaluation of the first year of Virginia’s State Opioid Response (SOR) grant.