The Colorado Health Foundation envisions a Colorado where adults on their recovery journeys can access culturally responsive and linguistically appropriate recovery services close to their homes.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)'s dimensions of recovery include community and purpose; The Colorado Health Foundation invests in these aspects of recovery statewide through our Adult Recovery priority area.
Recovery is a deeply personal journey; there is no single path that works for everyone. For some, traditional substance use interventions and clinical treatments are useful. Non-clinical, evidence-based supports, like peer-support groups, work better for others. Peer recovery coaching, supportive housing, recovery resource sharing, connection to cultural heritage, and community-led care are some types of programming we strategically fund.
Our Supporting Coloradans in Recovery Through Non-Clinical Programs funding opportunity gives preference to programs and projects that are peer-led/peer-driven, meet the needs of people in recovery through trauma-informed programming, and support the mental wellness of peers and staff. Also, this funding opportunity only grants funds to organizations that provide culturally and linguistically appropriate programming. Our definition of culturally and linguistically responsive: Programming responds to the cultural dynamics and language needs of those in recovery (i.e., programmatic components are designed or adapted to meet the needs of their context, the language spoken and the population served). Peers and staff reflect the cultural backgrounds of participants and bring lived and learned experiences to understand the needs, identities, language, and culture of participants. The organization has a history with and is trusted by participants, who are engaged in informing, guiding and/or helping implement the work.
The Foundation is also dedicated to working with organizations that tailor their recovery supports to the specific communities they serve. This includes Indigenous-serving organizations who approach recovery through a decolonial lens and incorporate their tribal practices, organizations that effectively serve monolingual Spanish speakers, programs meeting the needs of immigrant and refugee communities, and rural organizations addressing the barriers to care prevalent outside metropolitan areas. Recovery services are most effective when they align with a person’s culture, traditions, language, and values.
The Colorado Health Foundation’s Adult Recovery priority area works to support the accessibility of services that help Coloradans strive to reach their full potential. As we continue our Adult Recovery work, we get closer to a state where everyone can say “we have all we need to live healthy lives.”