Recovery Coach Training Program aims to support those with Substance Abuse Disorder

A Joliet Junior College sign sits outside Shabbona Middle School on Aug. 11 in Morris. JJC will open a satellite campus at the school for the fall 2016 semester.

The Behavioral Health Alliance of Grundy County, a collaborative network of mental health and behavioral health professionals serving Grundy County, invited Dr. Kathleen Burke to its monthly meeting for a presentation regarding the Will County Recovery Coach Training Program.

According to a recent release, the program is a joint project between the Will County Office of Substance Use Initiatives and Will County Workforce Services with a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity. The grant allows the funding of job training for 40 individuals who have been displaced from the workforce because of the opioid crisis. The Office of Substance Use Initiatives works with Governors State University to match recovery coaches with partner sites for work experience.

The program aims to increase the behavioral health workforce by developing recovery coaches to support those with Substance Abuse Disorder. Recovery coaches are there to assist in removing barriers to recovery and navigating the treatment world. While coaches are unable to treat or diagnose addiction or mental health disorders, they are able to provide support through shared experiences. According to Dr. Burke, the program currently has 33 program participants with 13 active paid interns.

Next month’s BHA meeting will highlight a presentation by Samantha Castro of the Illinois National Guard. For information on how to attend, email devan@cfgrundycounty.com.