The Recovery Coach
What is a Recovery Coach?
A Recovery Coach is a community based barrier remover, who “latches on” to the addict or alcoholic and attempts to engage and help the addict or alcoholic stay connected and supported within the recovering community.
What Does a Recovery Coach Do?
The Recovery Coach fills the gap between the indigenous recovering community and local treatment institutions —in this case, Dawn Farm’s Community of Programs. This person provides a level of accountability that the community cannot be expected to provide—and a connection to the client in their own living environment that institutions are unable to offer.
The Recovery Coach has an understanding of the array of barriers that prevent addicts from joining the recovering community and remaining in the recovering community. These barriers may be internal to the addict—like low motivation or emotional, medical, mental or spiritual problems. There may also be external barriers that prevent addicts from safely meeting their needs related to housing, employment, nutritional, social, transportation, etc.
The Recovery Coach will determine what the client needs, what barriers exist, and how community-based support and involved treatment institutions should be involved. It will be of vital importance that the Recovery Coach understands the relationship between these various barriers and the person’s recovery.
The Recovery Coach will collaboratively develop a plan of action to address these barriers.
The Recovery Coach has a working knowledge of the resources in the community that may help remove barriers— informal loose community associations or institutions. The Recovery Coach has a working knowledge of all of these resources and their various strengths and needs. An important part of their job is to match the client with the best resource for their individual barriers and needs.
The Recovery Coach will provide accountability for the client to follow through with all areas of the plan of action.
The Recovery Coach will be prepared for crisis management, as these clients are likely to experience moments of crisis and may not have the skills or resources to manage it themselves. They understand the various stages of change and use this knowledge to engage clients and promote recovery.
The Recovery Coach service relationship does not end in the event of a relapse. It is their responsibility to engage and re-engage the client and help the client reconnect the recovering community.
The Recovery Coach recognizes addiction as a chronic illness that is managed rather than cured. The focus of the Recovery Coach is on providing continuous and unconditional support for the addicted person’s recovery in active recovery and active addiction.
EXAMPLES:
Housing - The Recovery Coach may connect an addict with the following resources
Community Based Resources: |
Institutionally Based Resources |
- Addict friendly landlords
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- Recovering people seeking roommates
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- Members of the recovering community that have faced the same barrier
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Trauma - The Recovery Coach may connect an addict with the following resources
Community Based Resources: |
Institutionally Based Resources |
- Members of the recovering community that have faced the same barrier
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- Domestic Violence Shelter
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- Community based support groups
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- Gender specific 12 Step meetings
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- Trauma-informed addiction treatment services
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- A sponsor who has faced the same barrier
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Medical - The Recovery Coach may connect an addict with the following resources
Community Based Resources: |
Institutionally Based Resources |
- Members of the recovering community that have faced the same barrier
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- Doctors with dependable knowledge of addiction
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- Community based support groups
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- A sponsor who has faced the same barrier
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- Addiction treatment services that can accommodate these medical needs
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- Social Security or disability assistance
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Transportation - The Recovery Coach may connect an addict with the following resources
Community Based Resources: |
Institutionally Based Resources |
- Members of the recovering community that have faced the same barrier
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- Programs that offer affordable cars
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- Members of the recovering community that can help with transportation
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- Provide introduction to bus systems
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- 12 Step groups close to home or bus line
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- Access cab and bus discounts if available
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Chronic Relapse - The Recovery Coach may connect an addict with the following resources
Community Based Resources: |
Direct Services: |
- Members of the recovering community that have faced the same barrier
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- Collaborative recovery plan development
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- A sponsor who has faced the same barrier
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- Ongoing recovery and relapse potential assessment
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- Meetings or groups that may provide higher level of accountability and a higher intensity and quality of fellowship
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- Accountability for compliance with recovery plan
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- Facilitate social connections with community members that will support ongoing recovery
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- Coordination of support and accountability for recovery plan with community and institutional resources
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- Facilitate housing with community members that will support ongoing recovery
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- Sober events and environments for leisure times
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- Regular and ongoing home visits to provide all of the above
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- Relapse prevention groups
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- Ongoing “cheerleading” to promote ongoing positive change and recovery.
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- Relapse prevention groups
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The Recovery Coach will do whatever is necessary to stay connected with the addicted person, and help them stay connected to the recovering community. The Coach will phone the addict, visit them, meet them for coffee, send them notes of encouragement, and brainstorm about recovery ideas. The Recovery Coach will identify community helpers who can assist the addict find housing, counseling, employment and support services.
If you are interested in volunteering to become a Recovery Coach please call Jason or Jim at 734/485-8725.
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