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Peers Are Making a Difference
Almost half a million adults in Virginia have a substance use disorder and for more than a decade, fatal drug overdoses fueled by opioids like fentanyl have been the leading cause of unnatural deaths in the Commonwealth. The Virginia Association of Free and Charitable Clinics (VAFCC), with support from the Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Foundation, is working to replicate a proven, peer-focused recovery model pioneered at the Bradley Free Clinic in Roanoke called The HOPE Initiative.
The program incorporates Certified Peer Recovery Specialists (advocates with lived experience in long-term recovery from substance use disorder) who connect participants to a trusted network of treatment and recovery services, while helping people access holistic healthcare services within the clinic. Current expansion clinics include Northern Neck Middlesex Free Health Clinic in Kilmarnock, Crossroads Medical Mission in Bristol, and Pathways Free Specialty Clinic in Petersburg.
Lacey Edwards became a Peer Recovery Specialist at Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic as a part of this effort to help others and give them hope. She wants to demonstrate that those suffering from addiction can recover and rebuild. “Sometimes all it takes is one person to change a life and that's what I wanted to be,” she shares. Once in recovery herself and having succeeded in navigating the reentry process, she knew it was time to start her journey to become a PRS. With hard work and determination, she became a certified Peer Recovery Specialist:
Sam Terry is another Peer Recovery Specialist at the Northern Neck-Middlesex Free Health Clinic's Hope Initiative who became a PRS to assist those who are struggling as he once did. He also sees it as an opportunity to chisel away at the stigma and stereotypes of addiction and recovery.“Peer support is very important for those seeking recovery because we meet them where they are. We have lived experience which makes it easier for people who are also struggling with addiction to connect with us. We stand as a beacon of hope for them, having weathered addiction and made it through. We also have the personal experience of navigating specific situations -- such as getting your license back, participating in recovery classes, paying off fines, etc. -- and can help them through those steps. My goal is to help people. We all have our own road to recovery. If my story saves one mother, one brother, one child it makes it all worth it. We do recovery together!”
“The most effective form of support for people seeking recovery comes from people who have lived similar experiences and found hope. Peer support is crucial for recovery because we are on equal footing with those we help. Unlike doctors, therapists, and other specialists, we do not advise people on what they should do, we help them accomplish what they think is best for themselves. There is no stigma or judgement in these interactions, only an attempt to move forward together to create a better life in recovery.”
