(169) Live One, Do One, Teach One: Building Recovery Support Services Workforce Capacity

Recovery Support Services (RSS) delivered by peer professionals with lived experience are associated with improved engagement, retention, and continuity of care for individuals with substance use disorders (SUD) (Eddie et al., 2019; Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration [SAMHSA], 2023). Federal guidance identifies RSS as a complementary workforce strategy, particularly in contexts where shortages of clinically licensed providers constrain access to treatment (SAMHSA, 2024). The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) 4th Edition emphasizes long-term remission monitoring with available recovery supports alongside medical and behavioral health services.

Despite growing recognition of RSS, implementation remains limited by insufficient workforce development infrastructure, financing constraints, and lack of systematic evaluation. The Supporting Underserved Peer Professionals in Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) program was developed with federal funding to strengthen the RSS workforce across one state by providing financial, educational, and mentorship supports to recovery support professionals with lived experience.

Methods: SUPPORT is a workforce development and program implementation initiative designed to support recovery support professionals serving individuals affected by opioid use disorder (OUD) and other SUD. Participants were recruited statewide through community-based recovery organizations, treatment providers, and higher education partners. Eligibility prioritized individuals experiencing economic, educational, or geographic disadvantage.

Program components included tuition assistance, stipends, continuing education trainings, structured career mentorship, and individualized goal setting as part of outcome measurement. Participants completed pre- and post-program surveys assessing demographic characteristics, employment status, service settings.

Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics, training participation, and workforce outcomes. Independent samples t-tests were conducted to compare mean personal and professional goal achievement scores. Attendance at trainings was monitored. Implementation challenges were documented through program monitoring and participant feedback.

Results: To date, SUPPORT has served 44 recovery support professionals. Participant demographics reflected populations historically underrepresented in higher education and health workforce pipelines, with 54% reporting economic or educational disadvantage, 78% identifying as first-generation college students, and 48% reporting a rural background.

Eight continuing education trainings were delivered, with 198 completed participance (94.7%). All participants received or are scheduled to receive stipends, totaling $6,000 for Level I and $7,500 for Level II participants. Twenty-three participants (52.27%) applied for and were accepted into the host university, each receiving a $4,000 scholarship toward continued education in addictions or related fields.

Post-program survey results indicated that 91% of participants were employed in direct recovery support or related care settings, while 9% were working in higher education roles. Additionally, 96% reported actively working with individuals affected by OUD or other SUD.

Mean personal goal achievement scores were 3.25, and professional goal achievement scores were 2.60 over the 15-week period. Independent samples t-tests indicated no statistically significant difference between personal and professional goal achievement (n=25, 20; t=1.40; p=.17). Documented implementation challenges included barriers to scholarship utilization, inconsistent engagement in career mentorship, and technology access limitations.

Conclusion & Discussion: Findings demonstrate the feasibility and value of structured Recovery Support Services workforce development programs that integrate financial support, training, mentorship, and a learning community. High training attendance and workforce retention suggest that investment in recovery support professionals with lived experience can strengthen service capacity and align with ASAM’s recovery-oriented system of care framework.

However, implementation challenges highlight the need for flexible educational pathways, enhanced mentorship engagement strategies, and technology supports to reduce participation barriers. Limitations include reliance on self-reported outcomes, a modest sample size, and the absence of a comparison group.

Overall, SUPPORT contributes to the growing evidence base supporting RSS workforce development as a critical strategy for expanding access to recovery-oriented care, particularly in underserved and rural communities.

References: Eddie, D., Hoffman, L., Vilsaint, C., Abry, A., Bergman, B., Hoeppner, B., & Kelly, J. F. (2019). Lived experience in new models of care for substance use disorder: A systematic review of peer recovery support services. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 101, 1–12.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2023). Peer recovery support services.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2024). Recovery support services and workforce development guidance.

Health Resources and Services Administration. (2025). Supporting Underserved Peer Professionals in Opioid Recovery and Treatment (SUPPORT) Program.