Welcome to the Peer Recovery Center of Excellence’s Resource Library. We have curated these resources in order to support peers and organizations who offer peer recovery support services (PRSS). Resources include toolkits, journal articles, multimedia, presentation slides, and more. You will find information regarding integrating PRSS into new settings, Recovery Community Organization (RCO) capacity building, PRSS workforce development, and best and emerging practices for the delivery of PRSS. As part of our MAI project, we have also gathered HIV-related resources here. You can search by topic, resource type, or simply browse the list below.
If you would like to check out products from the PR CoE, please see our Product Library.
Journal Article
Peer recovery support services (PRSS) are increasingly being employed in a range of clinical settings to assist individuals with substance use disorder (SUD) and co-occurring psychological disorders. PRSS are peer-driven mentoring, education, and support ministrations delivered by individuals who, because of their own experience with SUD and SUD recovery, are experientially qualified to support peers currently experiencing SUD and associated problems. This systematic review characterizes the existing experimental, quasi-experimental, single- and multi-group prospective and retrospective, and cross-sectional research on PRSS.
Curriculum or Toolkit
Addressing Stress and Trauma in Recovery-oriented Systems and Communities: A Challenge to Leadership
Workbook addressing stress and trauma among Recovery Oriented Systems of Care.
Curriculum or Toolkit
Cultural Humility Primer: Peer Support Specialist and Recovery Coach Guide
This primer was created as an entry level cultural reference for Peer Support Specialists and Recovery Coaches working in both substance use disorder and mental health fields. Sections include:
An appendix features a wealth of additional resources, including glossaries of terms and acronyms, references, and tools.
Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy
Bringing Recovery Supports to Scale Technical Assistance Center Strategy (BRSS TACS) supported programs, systems, states, territories, and tribes as they implemented effective recovery supports and services for children, youth, families, young adults, adults, seniors, and other diverse populations with mental or substance use disorders.
SAMHSA founded BRSS TACS in 2011. The SAMHSA Center for Mental Health Services (CMHS) and the SAMHSA Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) co-managed BRSS TACS.
Building Blocks to Peer Program Success: A Toolkit for Developing HIV Peer Programs
From the Boston University School of Social Work, Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health, this toolkit was produced as part of the Peer Education and Training Sites/Resource and Evaluation Center (PETS/REC) Initiative, which helps organizations plan and implement successful, sustainable peer programs. The purpose is to support organizations and communities who work with peers to effectively engage and retain PLWHA (people living with HIV/AIDS) in care and treatment. Organizations can review and select relevant sections based on their program’s needs and use the tools and resources available.
Building New Horizons: Opening Career Pathways for Peers with Criminal Justice Backgrounds
When you implement the strategies in this toolkit, it paves the way for positive change. It is a concrete step to embrace the power of peer support and envision a brighter future. You can:
Building Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care for Drug Court Participants
This fact sheet from the National Drug Court Institute, in collaboration with Faces & Voices of Recovery, outlines how recovery-oriented systems of care for durg court participants can bridge the gap between treatment and recovery communites, and how to build a community-based system of services and support.
Building Recovery: State Policy Guide for Supporting Recovery Housing
The National Council developed this toolkit, which addresses needs of policymakers and advocates when considering legislative and regulatory approaches. Expert guidance in the development of this toolkit was provided by the National Alliance for Recovery Residences (NARR), in partnership with the National Council. This resource provides strategies and tools as well as examples of policy language that addresses the role and contribution of recovery housing, standards of care for recovery housing and protections for people in recovery served by such residences. This is an emerging policy area as states are just beginning to explore best policies, practices and financing to ensure that people have access to the best recovery supports available.
Each of the first two sections offer detailed action areas, including strategies, lessons learned and sample legislation based on states that have already moved ahead in this area. The final section includes a recovery housing fact sheet, an assessment questionnaire for states considering recovery housing legislation, a matrix of recent legislation and regulation, resource lists and examples of media stories.
The CAGE Adapted to Include Drugs (CAGE-AID) Questionnaire is an adaptation of the CAGE for the purpose of conjointly screening for alcohol and drug problems. The CAGE-AIDS focuses on lifetime use.
CCAR's "Recovery Matters!" Podcast
We love to give freely to others what was freely given to us. With that in mind, the goal of CCAR’s Recovery Matters podcast is to share what we’ve learned, and provide a space for unique voices and messages. Recovery Matters is a show dedicated to showing the power, hope and healing of recovery from alcohol and other addictions through rigorously honest and thought-provoking discussions, speeches, and interviews. We explore a wide range of topics that relate to recovery and the Recovery Movement, with a heavy focus on hope and doing the next right thing.
CCBHCs: Are you ready to grow your peer services?
It takes more than sunshine and water for a robust Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinic (CCBHC) peer services program to sprout. CCBHCs are a new provider type in Medicaid tasked with utilizing innovative and creative strategies to increase Americans’ access to behavioral health care services. Beginning in 2017, CCBHCs will be established in eight states participating in the Excellence in Mental Health Act demonstration: Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Oklahoma, Oregon, and Pennsylvania.
Center for African American Recovery Development Policy Paper
Center for African American Recovery Development (CAARD) is a national organization built by Black Recovery Advocacy leaders, and Subject Matter Experts in the wellness and recovery movement. This policy paper shares more about what CAARD is, their mission and vision, defines RCOs, how to build strong RCOs, community impact, details on their RCO Capacity Building Project, and more! CAARD Basic Policy Paper.
In October 2019, The National Council for Behavioral Health (National Council) and the New York Association of Psychiatric Rehabilitation Services (NYAPRS) collaborated to convene representatives from Certified Community Behavioral Health Clinics (CCBHCs) and peer-run/recovery community organizations to explore best practice collaborations in delivering peer services in arrangements with CCBHCs. Meeting presentations and dialogue sessions were designed to bridge clinical and grassroots peer cultures and perspectives and explore partnership opportunities and challenges. The agenda focused on practices that increase engagement and retention of individuals accessing services and help them to achieve self-identified recovery outcomes. We examined strategies to offer peer-delivered services in collaboration with clinical approaches that maintain fidelity to the core principles of peer support.
This brief is based on the conviction that peer-run agencies and CCBHCs can collaborate to improve consumer engagement and outcomes and the overall success of a truly comprehensive and integrated system of treatment services and supports.
Local leaders working toward goals as diverse as reducing jail use, addressing behavioral health needs, and reducing homelessness may want to consider utilizing a promising group: peer support workers. This introductory resource brief highlights some of the policy and funding opportunities city and county leaders can explore to build on the success of early examples of communities that have utilized peer support as part of their continuum of care and in justice related interventions
Cocaine, Methamphetamine, and HIV: What Clinicians Need to Know
The purpose of this introductory training is to provide HIV clinicians (including, but not limited to physicians, dentists, nurses, and other allied medical staff, therapists and social workers, and counselors, specialists, and case managers) with a detailed overview of cocaine, methamphetamine, and HIV.
Stimulants and HIV PowerPoint Presentation
Stimulants and HIV Trainer Guide
Stimulants and HIV Fact Sheet
Video File #1 – Dopamine - Normal
Video File #2 – Dopamine - Cocaine
Video File #3 – Dopamine - Methamphetamine
Funding for this initiative was made possible by grant no. 1H79TI083022 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
