Houston Recovery Center (HRC) is a nonprofit organization that provides sobering and addiction recovery programs in Harris County, Texas. The center recently started an Houston Recovery Center’s Community Healthcare Workers (CHW) Program to expand its outreach practices and deepen its substance use continuum of care program links to service systems. HRC will place Community Health Workers (CHWs) in Harris County communities to conduct outreach and provide prevention education and behavioral health referrals, including access to Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) and NARCAN to prevent opioid overdoses.

The CHWs, who are trained in both community health and peer recovery support, will work with community members to identify substance use and health trends in neighborhoods, establish a community network, and enroll underserved clients in HRC’s long-term recovery program. The CHWs will also provide support in both clinical and community-based settings, serving as a liaison between clients, hospital centers, and community organizations. They will assist clients in accessing health-related services, including referrals to in-house case management services, and help clients understand care plans and promote autonomy. Additionally, the CHWs will provide NARCAN education and distribute it to those at risk of overdose.

Houston Recovery Center’s Community Healthcare Workers (CHW) Program will also improve the retention of the direct client services workforce and continue to strengthen the continuum of care for marginalized clients seeking substance use recovery. HRC has identified three areas of expansion in the substance use continuum of care: Harris County Outreach to At-Risk Communities, Healthcare and Substance Use Recovery, and Housing Integration. These expansions aim to increase client access to recovery services and improve stabilization and recovery outcomes.

Overall, HRC’s Community Healthcare Workers (CHW) Program will allow the center to deepen its links to service systems and expand its outreach practices to provide crucial support to communities in Harris County, Texas, who are struggling with substance use and addiction. The program aims to increase access to recovery services and prevent opioid overdoses by providing education and behavioral health referrals, including access to MAT and NARCAN.