Supportive Recovery Initiatives

OVERVIEW

In partnership with service providers, people with lived/living experience of substance use and recovery, community stakeholders, and policymakers, CAI is investing in initiatives to build and strengthen capacity of the supportive recovery sector in BC. 

Background 

Supportive recovery services meet a critical need in our communities and are currently in high demand amidst the ongoing drug poisoning crisis. These bed-based or live-in substance use services provide a range of programs and a supportive environment for people who are working to reduce, abstain from, or reduce harms associated with substance use. 

In 2013, CAI received a $5 million investment from the Province of British Columbia to support ongoing capacity building in the supportive recovery sector. The future vision for this sector includes: consistent service quality; a focus on multiple pathways to recovery; strengthened accountability and oversight; adequate funding; services that are informed by people with lived and living experience; and connection of supportive recovery services to the broader system of care.  

Current Initiatives 

BCARA Directed Grant 

Ongoing 2021-present 

In collaborative partnership, CAI and the BC Addiction Recovery Association (BCARA) are working toward strategic goals to build and strengthen capacity of recovery providers in BC. CAI has provided BCARA with a two-year directed capacity-building grant to support the scale-up of BCARA’s infrastructure and operations. Along with this directed grant, CAI has dedicated resources towards the establishment of a provincial recovery-oriented Community of Practice, which is being developed and implemented in partnership with BCARA. 


Past Initiatives 

Supportive Recovery Community Advisory Committee 

Completed 2019-2021 

Over a two-year period, CAI convened the provincial supportive recovery Community Advisory Committee (CAC) in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions. CAC members included registered and licensed supportive recovery service providers, people with lived/living experience of substance use and recovery, community stakeholders, and senior government staff. 

The CAC met monthly to consult on key government initiatives designed to strengthen the safety, quality, and oversight of residential supportive recovery services in BC. The CAC reviewed plans and draft documents, and provided recommendations and advice to decision-makers on several key areas:  

  • Developing a universal definition of supportive recovery
  • Implementation of new regulations governing the operation of supportive recovery assisted living residences under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act 
  • Development and implementation of service delivery standards to support improved quality and consistency of services across the province 
  • Practical and financial implications of implementing new regulations and standards 
  • Identifying unmet, ongoing needs within the sector 

Training Grants for Registered Supportive Recovery Assisted Living Residences 

Completed 2019-2020 

In partnership with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Mental Health and Addictions, CAI established a one-time Training Bursary Fund to assist eligible support recovery home operators in meeting new regulatory requirements enacted in the Community Care and Assisted Living Act in 2019. In total, 48 support recovery homes across the province were awarded training bursaries ranging from $4,000 to $8,000, with a total grant value of $104,000. Employees were supported to attend trainings on topics of counselling, crisis intervention, substance use disorders, and trauma-informed practice.  

Training Grants for Support Recovery Homes 

Completed 2015-2016 

As a pilot initiative in the community of Prince George, CAI established a one-time Training Bursary Fund for support recovery home operators to assist staff and volunteer capacity-building. In total, 17 support recovery homes in Prince George were awarded training bursaries of up to $2,500, with a total grant value of $34,565. 

Systems Navigator Position 

Completed 2015-2016 

CAI funded a one-year pilot Systems Navigator position based in Prince George, with the purpose of providing training and education to support recovery home operators in northern BC. 

Support Recovery Home Reference Group 

Completed 2013-2016 

The Support Recovery Home Reference Group (SuRHRG) included leaders from community-based organizations and government representatives. Guided by the SuRHRG, CAI completed preliminary research and community consultations to establish a broad understanding of the support recovery home sector in BC and identify potential areas for capacity building in pilot communities.  


CAI Contact

Zavi Swain, Community Grants Manager
[email protected]