Safe Community Coalition of Madison and Dane County

Safe Communities began providing Certified Peer Specialist (CPS)/Recovery Coaching (RC) services for adults with substance use and mental health challenges in 2016. Programs include ED2Recovery, Pregnancy2Recovery, Jail2Recovery, Diversion2Recovery, and All Communities2Recovery. Details about these programs are below.

Coaches are people with lived experience, having struggled with addiction, survived an overdose and subsequently maintained long term recovery. Prior to their hiring, coaches obtain a 30-hour Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR) recovery coach training certificate, and go on to receive additional training to become Certified Peer Specialists. Coaches who support pregnant women are also trained as doulas.

Safe Communities currently employs 18 Certified Peer Specialist/Recovery Coaches. They are dispatched 365-days per year, 7 days per week, 24 hours per day to provide recovery support to people who have overdosed or request referral to a coach for help addressing a substance use disorder. With the advent of COVID-19-related restrictions and thanks to Dane County funding, Safe Communities launched a 24-7 Recovery Coach Helpline and promoted the service to appropriate staff at area emergency rooms, partner agencies, Dane County Jail and Drug Treatment Court and the public at-large.

In 2020 alone, 616 participants have been referred to a Safe Communities Certified Peer Specialist/Recovery Coaches, and 442 intakes have been completed.

Safe Communities has created a supervisory and coach-to-coach support framework to bolster Recovery Coach and coachee success. This includes development and management of a comprehensive database of over 208 referral resources. Included in the database are treatment and recovery programs, sober housing providers, food pantries, CCS case management services, transportation and clothing voucher programs, mother’s milk bank and other resources for new mothers, among others.

ED2Recovery: All Dane County hospital emergency departments participate in this program, based on Rhode Island's AnchorED Program, to match people treated for overdose in the emergency room with peer support specialists/recovery coaches. Coaches/certified peer specialists are called by ED staff when a patient arrives; they travel to the ED to be present when the patient awakes and is offered the service. Each coach/peer specialist has lived the experience of waking up in the emergency room after an overdose, is in long term recovery, is trained and has knowledge of community resources. Once matched, coaches/peer support specialist remain connected to the client for as long as the person wants his or her support.

Pregnancy2Recovery: Program goals are to foster improved health and wellbeing for pregnant women with opioid use disorders by connecting them with a recovery coach. Recovery coaches link women with resources for AODA treatment, Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT), housing, employment,
baby needs. They establish a trusting relationship with women they assist to empower them to communicate with their providers, advocate for their needs, and be healthy mothers.
Referral sources include Public Health Madison/Dane County, WIC, Access Community Health Centers, UnityPoint Health-Meriter, UW Health and Dane County Jail. Self-referrals are also accepted. Certified peer support specialists are also trained as doulas, and in some cases have been present at births at their client’s request. This program has expanded beyond working with expectant mother and fathers with opioid use disorders, to support recovery for all substance use disorders (SUD).

Jail2Recovery: Jail2Recovery allows people in custody with any SUD to be matched with a recovery coach/certified peer support specialist. Matches are made while people are in custody so they have supports when they are released from jail --- a very dangerous time for overdose. During Covid-19, thanks to Safe Communities’ partnership with the Dane County Jail, a 24-7 toll-free number was established to allow inmates to contact their coach at no charge to them.

Family Peer Support: Family members of people affected by substance use disorders are given the opportunity to work with a Certified Peer Specialist who has lived through the experience of having a loved one struggle with an SUD. Safe Communities employs two trained parent recovery coaches who help family members heal from the effects of SUD on their family.

Diversion2Recovery: This program consists of a partnership with the diversion courts for Drugs and Alcohol, as well as the deferred prosecution unit. Working with a recovery coach is an option offered to participants at the time of their referral, or if they find they are struggling with conditions placed on them by diversion programs. Recovery Coaches/Certified Peer Specialists are available to help clients get to court, to treatment appointments and to help them meet program conditions in order to successfully complete the program.

All Communities2Recovery: This program is designed to support marginalized populations by having Recovery Coaches/Certified Peer Specialists placed at settings in areas of the community where people of color or LGBTQ plus people may feel more comfortable meeting and asking for a recovery coach. COVID 19 has affected the ability of Safe Communities Recovery Coaches to safely be on site at these agencies. However, we have a diverse team of Recovery Coaches/Certified Peer Specialists to be able to link people with individuals that are similar to them. Until COVID 19 restrictions are lifted, partner agencies are referring clients interested in meeting with a coach to the 24-7 Recovery Coach Helpline.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has limited ability of Recovery Coaches/Certified Peer Specialists to be physically present at project locations, launch of Safe Communities 24-7 Recovery Coach Helpline has enabled partners to continue making referrals for anyone struggling with a substance use disorder. In spite of COVID 19-related barriers, in 2020 alone, 616 participants were referred to a Safe Communities’ Recovery Coach/Certified Peer Specialist, and 442 intakes completed.

Zero Suicide Peer Support at UW Hospital: In late fall 2020, Safe Communities will launch a pilot program with UW Hospital in conjunction with its Zero Suicide initiative. This project will link Certified Peer Specialists with people who were admitted to in-patient psychiatry or the emergency department for suicidal ideation, and who clinical staff believe are appropriate candidates for peer support upon discharge. The role of the Certified Peer Specialist will be supporting the client to follow through on their safety plan and to support their wellness. If the patient opts for longer-term peer support to manage a chronic mental illness, Safe Communities will help connect this person with a peer support specialist at NAMI Dane or Solstice House.