A statewide recovery community organization that is building the peer support workforce in Georgia, influencing policy change, and mobilizing local communities to advocate for recovery
The Georgia Council for Recovery (GCR) is a non-profit recovery community organization (RCO) that is a leader in statewide efforts to mobilize the recovery community, advocate for policy change, and build a workforce of recovery coaches and certified peer support specialists.
The Certified Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist (CARES) Academy is held four times a year to train CARES to create a workforce of peers that can provide recovery support services throughout communities in Georgia. The training is highly competitive, lasts an entire week, and CARES services are billable to Medicaid. Over 450 CARES have been trained since the program started.
The GCR is committed to putting a face and voice to recovery to reduce stigma through public messaging, such as the Georgia Recovers project. They have also been committed to developing RCOs throughout communities in Georgia. GCR provides guidance and technical assistance to the network of RCOs that they have helped to establish.
Other initiatives of the GCR include:
- A warm phone line that is serviced by CARES
- Community symposia around the state to mobilize the recovery community
- Addiction Recovery Awareness Day at the state capital
- Recovery coaching in settings like emergency departments
Over 450 certified addiction recovery empowerment specialists have been trained providing services billable to Medicaid.