Stories of Service

Search

By: Katie Boehm

Tags

ServeMinnesota Receives $30,000 for AmeriCorps Program Focused on Recovery

Donation will fund three Recovery Corps Navigators dedicated to
helping individuals sustain recovery

MINNEAPOLIS, MN – ServeMinnesota received a $30,000 donation to support three AmeriCorps members who will work as Recovery Navigators in Minnesota Recovery Corps, a new AmeriCorps program launched to combat the opioid epidemic. Presenting the donation to ServeMinnesota was the Addiction Policy Leadership Action Network (or APLAN), a partnership between the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America and the Addiction Policy Forum.

“We are thrilled to receive this donation from APLAN, because it means we will be able to help 60 people sustain their recovery with evidence-based practices,” said Audrey Suker, CEO of ServeMinnesota. “Our mission has always been to bring people power to the critical needs of Minnesota, and the opioid epidemic is no different. Our state has many addiction treatment options, but it lacks the resources needed to support people in maintaining their recovery, which is why we created Minnesota Recovery Corps.”

More than 50,000 individuals enter addiction treatment every year in Minnesota, but the risk of relapse is extremely high; as many as two-thirds relapse in the first year after treatment. To prevent this, Recovery Navigators will work one-on-one to provide individualized coaching, skills training, and employment and service placement and provide community connections that are critical for a successful recovery. Recovery Corps Navigators are highly-trained AmeriCorps members, some of whom are also in recovery themselves. Their act of service with Recovery Corps will assist them in their own recovery journeys.

“When we heard about what ServeMinnesota was doing to support Minnesotans in recovery we were very excited to bring this donation to them,” said Linda Carroll-Shern, deputy vice president of PhRMA. “Initiatives like Recovery Corps are so exciting because of the complicated nature of addiction disorders. Solving something like the opioid epidemic will take many solutions working together. The support for people in recovery that ServeMinnesota is providing is critical and we are so proud to be able to assist their efforts.”

The $30,000 donation will support Recovery Corps Navigators who will serve at organizational sites in Hennepin, Ramsey and Dakota Counties. Each navigator will support 20 people in recovery.

About ServeMinnesota
As a catalyst for positive social change, ServeMinnesota moves research to practice and deploys the people power of AmeriCorps to meet critical needs in Minnesota. It recruits and supports thousands of individuals to improve the lives of Minnesotans by offering transformative service opportunities that focus on education, affordable housing, employment, the environment, addiction recovery, and police-community relationships. ServeMinnesota’s commitment to evidence-based practices, continuous program improvement, and strong community partnerships ensures national service is positioned to make meaningful contributions to our state.  For more information, visit www.serveminnesota.org.

###

Related Articles