About Together in Recovery
Toward a Unified Vision
In collaboration with C4 Innovations (C4), this initiative provides an opportunity for the exchange of diverse viewpoints and experiences to deepen awareness of the full range of treatment and recovery options for opioid use disorder (OUD) and builds momentum toward a shared vision to make these options available to all. Phase One of TiR was guided by a Change Team of 44 diverse influencers spanning peer, clinical, policy, family, and community roles. The Change Team met eight times between June 2019 and February 2020 to build a vision for driving future collective action across the recovery and treatment network in Massachusetts.
Over 12 months, TiR convened stakeholders to develop trust, facilitate learning and information exchange, define common ground and shared values, build collective commitments, and identify shared priorities for action. Through these activities, TiR formed a strong foundation that represented diverse roles, functions, perspectives, and communities across the Commonwealth. With a carefully crafted and facilitated dialogue process, TiR engaged key stakeholders in one-on-one conversations, regional meetings, and a statewide event to deepen understanding of evidence-based approaches and person-centered strategies. The recommended priorities in the blueprint for action are a result of this process. They promote an overall framework for achieving an accessible, integrated treatment and recovery network, provide varied perspectives of treatment and recovery, and offer specific steps for implementation.
Given the success of Phase One, and the important work underway, RIZE launched Phase Two in late 2020. A Together in Recovery Advisory Committee (TRAC), a subset of the original Change Team, will provide advice, strategic thinking, idea development, and industry knowledge towards achieving the goals, objectives, and priorities of this phase of work.
To learn more about Together in Recovery, please contact Julie Burns, President & CEO at RIZE Massachusetts Foundation (julie.burns@rizema.org) or Livia Davis, Chief Learning Officer at C4 Innovations (ldavis@c4innovates.com).
TiR Change Team Members and Advisory Committee
Change Team Members
Peter Babineau
Learn to Cope
James Baker, MD
Merrimack Valley Hospice
JJ Bartlett
Fishing Partnership Support Services
Lisa Blanchard, LMHC
Spectrum Health Systems
Julie Bunch
Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery
Deirdre Calvert, LICSW
Bureau of Substance Addiction Services, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
Sheila Casey
Specialty Courts
Matilde Castiel, MD
Department of Public Health, City of Worcester
John Christian
Modern Assistance
Josephine Cuzzi
New England Culinary Arts Training
Tori Cyrus
Everett Fire Department
Diliana De Jesus
Casa Esperanza
Jaime Dillon
Life Connection Center
Kenneth Duckworth, MD
Blue Cross Blue Shield Massachusetts
Sydney Durand
The Phoenix
Maryanne Frangules
Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery
Paul Greeley
New England Carpenters Benefit Funds
Marisa Hebble
Massachusetts Community Justice Project
Haner Hernández, PhD
Behavioral Health Workforce, Leadership Development Institute
Jim Hiatt, MSW
Massachusetts League of Community Health Centers
Jonna Hopwood, JD, LICSW
Massachusetts Behavioral Health Partnership, Beacon Health Options
Natalie Kaufman
State Representative Elizabeth Malia
Abigail Kim
State Senator John Keenan
Brendan Little
Office of Recovery Services, City of Boston
Julie Lunstead
Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Boston Children’s Hospital
Catherine Madden
Office of Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey
Larissa Matzek
Massachusetts Alliance for Sober Housing
Madelyn Murphy
MassHealth
Brian Nee
Boston Fire Department
Roger Oser
William J. Ostiguy Recovery High School
Albie Park
Harm Reduction Hedgehog 413
Katie Raftery
Moms Do Care, Massachusetts General Hospital
Windia Rodriguez
Partners HealthCare
Brian Scott
Cole Resource Center, McLean Hospital
Richard Smillie
Community Member
William Soares, MD
Baystate Health
Adam Stoler
MassHealth
Steve Tolman
Massachusetts AFL-CIO
Kristin Wason, NP
HEALing Communities Study, Boston Medical Center
Scott Weiner, MD
Emergency Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
Fr. Joe White
Archdiocesan Addiction Recovery Pastoral Support Services
LaToya Whiteside, Esq.
Prisoners’ Legal Services
Advisory Committee Members
JJ Bartlett
Fishing Partnership Support Services
Lisa Blanchard, LMHC
Spectrum Health Systems
Julie Bunch
Massachusetts Organization for Addiction Recovery
Diliana De Jesus
Casa Esperanza
Sydney Durand
The Phoenix
Marisa Hebble
Massachusetts Community Justice Project
Julie Lunstead
Adolescent Substance Abuse Program, Boston Children’s Hospital
Noel Sierra
MOAR
William Soares, MD
Baystate Health
LaToya Whiteside, Esq.
Prisoners’ Legal Services
Together in Recovery Resources
Your Rights in Recovery Toolkit
Tus derechos en recuperación guía práctica
Video Resources
Video resources include Myths About OUD and other myth busting vignettes, FAQs About OUD, and Why is Person-centered Care So Important?
Priorities for Action
Statement of Principles
