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History Of Recovery Community Organizations
Recovery Community Organizations have come a long way from their branches. In the nineteenth century', The American Temperance movement took place, sparked by women who've had a great role in the first steps of taking action against American alcoholism. These women suffered consequences brought forth by the men in their lines falling prey to alcoholism. Whether it be their fathers, husbands, or sons. Even though this was a different time, the struggles of the families of those suffering from addiction remain. During this era, Radical Recovery came forth, ''“. . . the use of one's recovery from addiction as a platform to advocate social change related to the sources of and solutions to community-wide AOD problems.”'' The varying ingredients that went into forming this method included eighteenth-nineteenth century Native American healing, cultural revelation movements, and the “Reformed Reformers”. This consisting of the African American temperance/activists, who believed drugs were being used as a source for colonization. Radical Recovery was the solution that many grassroots organizations of which shared a collective goal of portraying alcoholism and addiction as problems for which there are viable and varied recovery solutions.

A Recovery Community Organization is a non-profit organization governed by the representatives of communities in recovery. These organizations strive to educate their communities about recovery while also offering other resources to those suffering from addiction, some of such things being outreach programs and peer-based recovery support. RCOs are structured like other non-profit entities, with a board of directors, staff and committees. There are different boards and committees that each carries on a role in piecing together the community of recovery organizations, whether it be a financial matter or an executive matter.

There are multiple national organizations for recovery in the United States. One is The National Council on Alcoholism and drug dependence (NCADD), the first modern recovery center founded 60 years ago. NCADD and many other organizations work directly with individuals and families and any community seeking recovery from addiction. Many of NCCAD's associates have stemmed off, some becoming Recovery Community Organizations themselves. This having been due to the people's need for help figuring out their recovery plan, and there aren't any local organizations willing to help them. Even though they've now become fully functioning Recovery based organizations, they'll usually start small before they're given funding to reach higher platforms.

Three things set RCOs apart from many other organizations that also so focus on substance use/addiction. Their leaders and members share one goal; increasing the amount and quality of support out there for people aiming to or experiencing long term alcohol and drug addiction.

Second; RCOs are authentic. What makes it so is the fact that its a voice built by many others. RCOs represent a diverse set of communities in recovery. It varies regardless of faith, gender, sexual orientation, no one is excluded. It consists of allies, family, friends advocating for recovery, and people connecting through sharing their stories. RCOs also serve as a link between the resources brought to recovery communities and organizations such as the criminal justice system, government agencies, and last but not least the broadened network of health care providers.

Programs and Resources RCOs core strategies include giving people in recovery a platform to voice their thoughts and opinions and building strong organizations that birth great leaders. They seek meaningful representation for people in recovery and their family members on issues that affect their lives. They aim to educate those in power such as service providers and policymakers about the relevance and multiple pathways of addiction recovery. When educating the public on such issues, they make sure to put a positive face to motivate people. It can either be an individual or family willing to give hope and share their stories to prove the possibility of long term recovery. They do all they can to expand and promote recovery, while also working to remove any type of stigma towards it. They advocate for change and give light to the effective methods inputted into the process of recovery. They take it upon themselves to also celebrate goals achieved on the road to recovery.

Recovery Organizations will share the same goal of achieving some form of long-term recovery, but the approaches for walking such a path vary at times. Some may have recovery plans ready for those that seek their aid, while others will allow the individual to make their own path, but will be there to offer needed resources. A recently trending method of recovery has been Peer Recovery. This path leaves the recovery process in the hands of the individual and their peers, rather than getting clinical services from addiction treatment organizations. This does not necessarily mean they aren't offered any services. There are peer recovery-based services as well, some even offering certain activities that treatment centers may not offer. Some of the things they offer include housing, support groups, recovery resource dissemination, and transportation. One of the forces behind this program os Faces and Voices of Recovery. This organization helps recovery organizations and peer service providers by offering them resources and fruitfull assessments given in order to properly input peer recovery coaching programs and other recovery support services.

RCOs have various resources to get funded; The Center for Substance Abuse Treatment is one of those. “Local units of government” along with many foundations, including private ones, have offered financial support to RCOs. These organizations aren’t doing so without any knowledge of where they’re investing their money either. Scientifically, RCOs do undergo evaluations to assure the effectiveness/evidence of the service they provide.

List of RCOS
An example of a great RCO is RICARES. RICARES is a recovery community organization located in North Providence. This organization strives for reducing the stigma against substance abuse, while also aiming to create a socially just community for those living with substance use addiction in Rhode Island. RICARES makes use of its foothold on its community, political hold included, to make changes that'll benefit the majority dealing with substance use addiction, such as the benefit of recovery homes and the offering programs to those dealing with substances of the streets rather than sending them to jail to fall into an endless cycle of unproductivity. They do a lot for the better of their community, and of course funding is needed for these goals to take form.

RICARES is funded by SAMHSA (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration). This organization is very focused on behavioral health care. Their Recovery Support Strategic is not only making recovery services available to those in need of it, but understanding what recovery is to define it; they’ve been able to do so through research and practice, and especially by utilizing the shared stories of experience by those who’ve suffered from substance use disorder. “A process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential."  SAMHSA also provides grants to organizations, RICARES having been one to receive them. There is a list of Infrastructure development activities and applicants are required to choose at least two from the list to implement into their states. Example: "Develop linkages with addiction recovery community organizations throughout the state in order to develop a collective approach around promoting addiction peer recovery supports and services."

Later on, there will be collecting data and performance measurements to meet certain expectations and legal obligations from SAMHSA’s end. The data would be based off things such as the number of training events an organization has hosted and the number of participants/satisfied participant during the event. If the process of getting qualified is run smoothly there will be a discussion for the award itself, that can not exceed   $100,000. Annual renewals will depend on the available funds and how efficiently the organization gets to take care of all the necessary requirements in order to receive the award. Concluding to RCOs, these organizations make it their responsibility to not only better recovery for people living it and providing them with the resources they need, but making long-term recovery something anyone can accomplish with support.

Two other examples of RCOS are CCRA(Connecticut community of addiction recovery) and the Chicago Recovery Alliance. CCRA alike their peers, this organization provides recovery support and services to those in need of it through “advocacy, education, and service”, and it's peer The Chicago recovery alliance is a diverse group of people, and it does not stop at ethnic diversity. This group consists of people living with HIV and struggling with drug addiction while also juggling the issues of healthcare, education, and law. They work one on one to assist these people in making a positive change in their lives, they provide many resources to those they work with and advocate for the reduction of drug-related harm.

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Listed below is numerous yet not the only Recovery Organizations available to those in need of help and resources.

Adult Children of Alcoholics

Alcoholics Anonymus

Smart Recovery

Narcotics Anonymous

Addiction Recovery Groups

Life-ring Secular Recovery

RICARES

Anchor Recovery Community Center

Al-anon/Alateen

NCADD(National Council And drug Dependence)

Secular Organizations for Sobriety

Moderation Management

Cocaine Anonymous

Families Anonymous

Recovery people

Providence Center

Discovery House of Providence Comprehensive Treatment Center

Discovery House of Providence Woonsocket Treatment Center

Medical Assisted Recovery

Addiction Recovery Institute

Meadows Edge Recovery

Bridge-mark Addiction Recovery Service

Kent House

Amos House

BlueCrest Recovery Center