Exponents is a community-based organization in the heart of Manhattan serving individuals with substance use problems and/or HIV/AIDs. In Exponents’ RCSP project, The Recovery Annex, peer-to-peer recovery support strategies currently available to HIV-positive clients are being adapted to serve individuals in or seeking recovery from substance use problems who are not HIV-positive. The support service model centers on Mentoring Circles that use peer group dynamics and one-on-one peer support to discern important recovery lessons and then help individuals apply these lessons to the real challenges of life in the community. The Mentoring Circles are backed by various services, including a peer-staffed vocational center, to link participants to important community resources. Most individuals served by the Recovery Annex are people of color, drawn from New York City communities with the highest rates of drug use and co-existing disorders and conditions. |
