The Recovery Ecosystem

Return to Opioid Top-Level Strategy Map

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Overview

Recovery support can look like many different things for a person and their individual pathway to recovery. This is a crucial component of viewing SUD as a chronic disorder requiring long-term care.  Individuals entering recovery through treatment, the crimminal justice system, or on there own often face many challenges in early recovery.  It is important that communities examine what supports are available, identify further needs, and ensure those with the greatest need have access to these supports.

Recovery Defined

SAMHSA defines recovery as:

Recovery is a process of change through which people improve their health and wellness, live self-directed lives, and strive to reach their full potential.

SAMMHSA also identifies four major dimensions that support recovery:

• Health—overcoming or managing one’s disease(s) or symptoms and making informed, healthy choices that support physical and emotional well-being.
• Home—having a stable and safe place to live.
• Purpose—conducting meaningful daily activities and having the independence, income, and resources to participate in society.
• Community—having relationships and social networks that provide support, friendship, love, and hope.

 

 

Key Topics and Strategies

The resources pages that follow address the key of support.  These include:

Recovery Housing

Perhaps the most basic support needed is housing and food.  Without this there can be no security or the ability for focus on health and recovery.  In many cases going home is not a safe option for those new to recovery.  A stable housing situation is foundational and allows growth and progress in other areas to take place.  Resources included focus on how to find safe, affordable, and supportive recovery housing options in communities accross the country.

Education and Job Training.  

Finding meaning and purpose in one's life is important to all, but is especially critical to a person who has not found, or has lost, that purpose.  The ability to get and hold a job, get a promotion, improve one's education, and become independant are all important needs for many in early recovery.  Safe Solutions includes resources and inforrmation designed to help people in recovery develop the tools they need to find that purpose and achieve their goals.

Improving Connections.

Many of the strategies come undeer the broad umbrella of improving connections.  Isolation is the enemy of recovery.  Connections include those to others in recovery accoss a number of peer-led support organizations and others that can help support the recovey of an individual. Family connections are also addressed and resources focus on helping the family recover and be able to support members in early recovery

Other connections include those made in the wider community and even regional/national organiations that can help foster connection to others who provide support for individuals in recovery.

 

 

 

 

Those facing these challenges when their basic needs are not being met are more likely to relapse.  Communities that fund these supports help those in early recovery re-engage with the community, increase self-esteem, and become highly productive members of their communities.