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The Virginia Department of Health and Behavioral Services has awarded Rockbridge Recovery the Organization of the Year award for 2024. Attendees participated in a special luncheon to celebrate Year of the Peer and the significant progress being made across the commonwealth’s recovery community.
This award was the result of Rockbridge Recovery’s impact in the area. The organization recently opened the region’s first and only recovery home, the Hope House. T he H ope H ouse provides its residents with a real chance at starting over and maintaining long term recovery, gaining independence and having a recovery family to fall back on.
The men who come to the house receive support of peers who truly understand their struggles- having lived it themselves, said a spokeswoman. They are surrounded by compassionate staff who know what it means to be at rock bottom. They are provided support groups every evening to share their feelings, their struggles and hear how others have overcome the same obstacles.
Rockbridge Recovery also operates two drop-in peer support centers which provide one-on-one walkin peer support without an appointment, assistance with getting into detox programs, hot meals, a wellness center, hot showers, career services and access to laundry services.
In addition, Rockbridge Recovery provides transportation to all of their services, as well as to court, probation meetings and other critical places their clients need to be. All of this is a first step of getting clients in the door, off the streets and closer to their recovery goals, said the spokeswoman. Every moment spent at Rockbridge Recovery is a moment spent not getting high.
Rockbridge Recovery offers a variety of groups, including peer support, grief support, prevention groups for adolescents, veteran groups, as well as Friends and Family every evening taught by peer support specialist facilitators who are employed by Rockbridge Recovery. They are always looking for ways to offer peer support services that are not redundant and fill service gaps in our community.
Rockbridge Recovery also operates the only HARM reduction center in our region, providing the community with access to REVIVE training, narcan distribution, fentanyl test strips and other safeguards.
Furthermore, Rockbridge recovery peers are in the Rockbridge Regional Jail system, providing second chances and opportunities. They provide information to community resources where to go and how to get help. T he g oal of H ARM reduction to reduce the risk of drug-related deaths. It’s an opportunity for those suffering from addiction to come through the door and take the first step towards their recovery journey, said the spokeswoman. There are many additional programs in the works.
“I am so proud of the Rockbridge Recovery team, who are deserving of this incredible honor, said Jeri Schaff, interim executive director of Rockbridge Recovery. “Our peer recovery specialists work hard daily to better themselves, better those around them and provide our clients with exceptional service.”
For more information about Rockbridge Recovery, visit its website at RockbridgeRecovery.org.
