Seminar Series

We are collaborating with stakeholders on a seminar series about topics related to recovery community centers and the use of medication to treat opioid use disorder. and the distribution of tools, products, and research materials that will support the building of a cumulative RCC science.

Please see the list below for an overview of the seminars. Click on the title of the seminar to open a PDF document containing more information about the seminar.

UPCOMING SEMINARS:

Seminar 31

Title: New studies on RCCs: Introducing our newly funded pilot study projects
Information TBA!

Seminar Attendees

PAST SEMINARS:

Seminar 30

Title: Science That is Needed to Support Unlocking the Potential of Recovery Community Centers
Presenter: Dr. Kenneth D. Smith (University of Tennessee)
Discussant: Dr. Sarah Duffy (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
RCC Live Feature: Brian J. Robbins, Recovery Community Centers Program Manager of CT Community for Addiction Recovery
Date: Friday, December 1, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Materials:

Seminar 29

Title: Outcome presentation for pilot project #5: Examining Sexual Minority Engagement in Recovery Community Centers
Presenter: Dr. Abigail Batchelder (Massachusetts General Hospital)
Discussants: Dr. Lara Weinstein (Thomas Jefferson University)
RCC Live Feature: Ty Bechel, MNM, CPRS, Executive Director & Business Development of Amare NFP
Date: Friday, November 3, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Additional Materials:
- APA language guidelines

Seminar 28

Title: Outcome presentation for pilot project #4: A Socio-Ecological Examination of the Use of Recovery Community Centers by Persons Taking Medications for Opioid Use Disorder
Presenter: Roxanne Newman (Brown University School of Public Health)
Discussants: Cathy Shultz (Rhode Island’s governor’s overdose taskforce), Dr. Amanda Von Horn (Tufts Medical Center & Tufts University School of Medicine), Dr. Felecia Pullen (Pillars – Holistic Recovery Support)
RCC Live Feature: Felecia Pullen, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of Pillars – Holistic Recovery Support
Date: Friday, October 6, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 27

Title: Taking a closer look at the Recovery Data Platform (RDP)
Presenter: Phil Rutherford , Jonathan Picard (Faces and Voices of Recovery)
Discussants: Cory O’Brien (Turning Point Recovery Support Center)
RCC Live Feature: Oliver A. T. Birchwood-Glover, LICSW, SAP, Program Director of Trilogy Recovery Community
Date: Friday, September 22, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 26

Title: Community engaged research – what is it, why do we need it, and how can we do more of it in the recovery community center (RCC) space?
Presenters:  Dr. Devin Banks (University of Missouri-St. Louis), Dr. Ashli Sheidow (Oregon Social Learning Center), and Dr. Chyrell Bellamy and Rev. Robyn Anderson (Yale School of Medicine), Dr. Terrence S. McTier Jr. (HEAL Initiative)
RCC Live Feature: Elizabeth Burke Beaty, CPRS, CPLC (she/her/hers), Founding Executive Director and CEO of www.SeaChangeRCO.org (NJ) & the National Sea Change Coalition
Date: Friday, June 2, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Additional Materials:
- Online micro-training in community-engaged research
- A paper describing different ways of community engagement in research, and highlighting key issues regarding equity (e.g., ownership, decision-making, resource-sharing) and contextual factors (e.g., trust, transparency, relationship building):
  - Key, K. D., Furr-Holden, D., Lewis, E. Y., Cunningham, R., Zimmerman, M. A., Johnson-Lawrence, V., & Selig, S. (2019). The continuum of community engagement in research: A roadmap for understanding and assessing progress. Progress in community health partnerships: research, education, and action, 13(4), 427-434.
- Concrete examples of the work of community advisory boards (as implemented by the JEAP Initiative):
  - Description of the panels and what the ‘ask’ is
  - An example of the results a community advisory board generated (in this case, generating research ideas)
- Concrete example of a community-academia partnership, the Imani Breakthrough Project:
  - Description of the project in an academic, peer-reviewed paper:
    - Bellamy, C. D., Costa, M., Wyatt, J., Mathis, M., Sloan, A., Budge, M., … & Jordan, A. (2021). A collaborative culturally-centered and community-driven faith-based opioid recovery initiative: the Imani Breakthrough project. Social Work in Mental Health, 19(6), 558-567.
  - Description of the project as featured online by the Policy Research Associates

Seminar 25

Title: Outcome presentation for pilot project #3: Understanding how recovery community centers impact members’ wellbeing: A pilot study using daily diary assessments
Presenter:  Dr. H. Harrington “Bo” Cleveland (The Pennsylvania State University)
Discussants: Drs. Stephanie Wemm (Yale Stress Center) and Jon Soske (Rhode Island Communities for Addiction Recovery Efforts)
RCC Live Feature: Javier H Alegre, BScB, CPSS, Executive Director of Latino Behavioral Health Services
Date: Friday, May 5, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 24

Title: Outcome presentation for pilot project #2: Feedback on a mobile application intervention to support pregnant and postpartum women and people (PPWP) in recovery
Presenters: Drs. Hannah S. Szlyk and Patricia Cavazos-Rehg (Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis)
Discussants: Dr. Davida Schiff (Massachusetts General Hospital), Dr. Roger Vilardaga (Duke University), Pastor Marsha Hourd (Director of CAFE & LIFE Recovery Center) and Ty Bechel (Executive director of Amare Recovery)
RCC Live Feature: Chris Rosewarne-Sudduth, BA, CPRC, Program Manager and Recovery Coach at Washtenaw Recovery Advocacy Project (WRAP)
- Video 1
- Video 2
Date: Friday, April 7, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Information about the mobile application and intervention:
- Medication Assisted Treatment can facilitate Recovery (uMAT-R)
- Delivering information about medication assisted treatment to individuals who misuse opioids through a mobile app: a pilot study

Seminar 23

Title: The role a state’s department of public health can play in the creation and thriving of RCCs
Presenter: Ms. Danielle O’Brien of the Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
Discussant: Jesse Crum, Recovery Services Specialist at the Missouri Department of Public Health
RCC Live Feature: Angela Burton of the Detroit Recovery Project
Date: Friday, March 3rd, 2023, at 12:00 PM EST
Recording
Slides

Seminar 22

Title: Outcome presentation for pilot project #1: Cost-effectiveness calculators for RCCs: A pilot of peer recovery support services and bystander Naloxone distribution
Presenters: Ms. Sierra Castedo de Martell, Ms. Margaret B. Moore, and Dr. H. Shelton Brown
Discussants: Ms. Patty McCarthy and Mr. Phil Rutherford, Faces & Voices of Recovery
RCC Live Feature: Ms. Anita Bradley, CEO and Founder of the Northern Ohio Recovery Association
Date: Friday, February 3, 2023, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Additional Materials:

Seminar 21

Title: Delving deeper into nationwide findings on Recovery Community Centers (RCCs): Medications, connections with services, and agents of social change
Presenters: Drs. Bettina B. Hoeppner and John F. Kelly
RCC Live Feature: RCC Co-Founder Dr. Alex Elswick of Voices of Hope – Lexington, Inc.
Date: Friday, December 2nd, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Additional Materials:
- Breakout room discussion questions
- Notes from breakout sessions

Seminar 20

Title: The promise of RCCs to support Latino and Hispanic communities in recovery: The importance of cultural elements in RCCs
Presenters: Leaders of the Cultural Compliance Alliance: Yamila Rollan Escalona (founder of Yaya Por Vida), Angelo Lagares (founder of Latino Recovery Advocacy), Thomas Guerra (founder of Miami Recovery Project); Dr. Miguel Pinedo (University of Texas at Austin)
RCC Live Feature: (This time we have three video links instead of a live presentation) Latino Recovery Advocacy, Miami Recovery Project, Ya Ya Por Vida
Date: Friday, November 4th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Additional Materials:
- Poll results
- Spanish translation of harm reduction materials
- Word Cloud Generated During Seminar (click here for larger graphic file)

Seminar 19

Title: Results of our nationwide survey of RCCs (Part 2): Feedback from RCC leadership about potential outcome measures that could be used to capture the positive impact of RCCs
Presenters: Drs. Bettina B. Hoeppner and John F. Kelly
RCC Live Feature: RCC Program Director, Cory O’Brien of Turning Point Recovery Support Center
Date: Friday, October 7th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 18

Title: Results of our nationwide survey of RCCs (Part 1): Description of currently operating RCCs, their services, and the communities they serve
Presenters: Drs. Bettina B. Hoeppner and John F. Kelly
RCC Live Feature: RCO director Samantha Brawley and Drop-in Center Coordinator Mark Palinski of Sunrise Community for Recovery and Wellness
Date: Friday, September 9th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 17

Title: Recovery processes and milestones: An updated conceptual model and fit with the mission of RCCs
Presenter: Dr. John F. Kelly of Massachusetts General Hospital and the Recovery Research Institute
RCC Live Feature: RCC director Leslie Clark of Portland Recovery Community Center
Date: Friday, June 17th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides:
- Introduction
- Dr. John Kelly’s slides

Seminar 16

Title: Self-care, wellness, and recovery in the RCC setting: Approaches taken and complexities faced
Presenters: Dr. Mary-Ellen Brown (Arizona State University) and Catherine Lovvorn (director of Living Proof Recovery) and Dorothy West (director of Center of Recovery Resources and Wellness Resources)
RCC Live Feature: RCC director Catherine Lovvorn of Living Proof Recovery
Date: Friday, May 6th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 15

Title: Let’s talk about faith – How does it intersect with RCCs?
Presenters: Ms. Akosua Dankwah, Lynn Ferro (director of Northampton Recovery Center), Michael Earielo (director of Everyday Miracles Recovery Center), and Tarusa Stewart (director of iHOPE Inc.)
RCC Live Feature: RCC executive director Devin Lyall of Wilkes Recovery Revolution
Date: Friday, April 1st, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 14

Title: Unique challenges encountered by rural RCCs
Presenters: Carrie Oser (University of Kentucky), Joey Supina (director of Sandusky Artisans Recovery Community Center), and Jennifer Langston (director of REBOOT Jackson)
RCC Live Features: RCC Director Brandon George and manager Heather Rodriguez of Indiana Addictions Issue Coalition
Date: Friday, March 4th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 13

Title: Digital recovery support services, telerecovery, and RCCs: Colliding worlds or augmenting each other?
Presenters: Dr. Robert Ashford (Unity Recovery), Brenda Maks (president of Live Rite Structured Recovery Corp), and Marcie Gray (program manager of Utah Support Advocates for Recovery Awareness)
RCC Live Feature: Dr. Mark Lassiter of Will’s Place
Date: Friday, February 4th, 2022, at 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
Additional Materials:
- Systematic review of digital recovery support services

Seminar 12

Title: New studies on RCCs: An overview of the new studies funded by our network
Presenters: The awardees of the first round of funding (Abigail Batchelder; Bo Cleveland and Kyler Knapp; Marc Johnigan, Mark Thomas, Sheila Speckter, and Mark McGuire; Roxxanne Newman and Alexandra Collins; H. Shelton Brown and Sierra Castedo de Martell)
Date: Friday, December 3rd, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Additional Recording:
- Roxxanne Newman on An Examination into the use of Recovery Community Centers by People on MOUD
Slides

Seminar 11

Title: How do medications for opioid use disorder ‘fit’ into the mission of RCCs?
Presenters: Dr. Roger Weiss (Harvard Medical School), Dr. Lauren Hoffman (Recovery Research Institute), Jan Brown (director of Spiritworks Foundation) and Wendy Jones (director of Minnesota Recovery Connection)
Date: Friday, November 5th, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 10

Title: Addressing racism and harm reduction through RCCs: Findings and experiences
Presenters: Dr. Monica Skewes (Montana State University) and RCC leaders Laurie Johnson-Wade (Lost Dreams Awakening) and David Whiters (African American Federation of Recovery Organizations)
Date: Friday, October 1st, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 9

Title: RCCs in context: The importance of engaging the recovery community
Presenters: Director of Programs Joseph Hogan Sanchez and Chief Operating Officer, Phillip Rutherford of Faces & Voices of Recovery
RCC Live Feature: RCC leader Nick Demott of Lifeboat Recovery
Date: Friday, July 16th, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 8

Title: RCCs in context: The importance and challenges of RCC community engagement
Presenters: Dr. Amy A. Mericle, Research scientist in the Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute, Chad Sabora (director of MoNetwork) and Marc Johnigan (director of Twin Cities Recovery Project)
RCC Live Feature: RCC executive director Tony Venzina of 4D Recovery
Date: Friday, June 11th, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 7

Title: One stop shopping for recovery: Preliminary results from the first systematic study of New England recovery community centers
Presenter: Dr. John F. Kelly of Massachusetts General Hospital and the Recovery Research Institute
RCC Live Feature: Donna Woods, Timothie Smith, and Brandi Vore of Oklahoma Citizen Advocates for Recovery and Transformation Association (OCARTA)
Date: Friday, May 14th, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides
- Introduction
- Dr. John Kelly’s Slides
Additional Materials:

Seminar 6

Title: Measuring recovery in RCCs: Can the SURE tool help?
Presenters: Dr. Joanne Neale (King’s College London) and Ms. Hannah Carlon (University of New Mexico)
RCC Live Feature: RCC manager Aaron Comeaux of Foundation for Recovery
Date: Friday, April 16th, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides:
Additional Materials:
- SURE Measure

Seminar 5

Title: Bridging the divide between healthcare systems and RCCs: A moderated panel discussion
Presenters: Dr. Sarah Wakeman and a team of panelists (Dr. Gene Lambert, Christopher Shaw, Dr. Davida Schiff, Dr. Marti Kane, and Windia Rodriguez) of Massachusetts General Hospital
Date: Friday, March 19th, 2021, 12:00 PM ET
Recording
Slides

Seminar 4