On July 16, 2025, the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health hosted the celebration and graduation of the Recovery Workforce Learning Collaborative (RWLC).
The learning collaborative was a partnership involving the Connecticut Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services (DMHAS), the Yale Program for Recovery and Community Health (PRCH), Yale University, Advocacy Unlimited, Inc. (AU), and the Connecticut Community for Addiction Recovery (CCAR).
The learning collaborative is marking a compelling demonstration of collaborative spirit, dedication, and effort to empower the recovery workforce in Connecticut. A comprehensive initiative was launched in July 2024 and ended in July 2025. Organizations across Connecticut, including Community Health Resource, Connecticut Renaissance, Connecticut Valley Hospital, Behavioral Health Network, Sisters' Place/Mercy Housing, Downtown Soup Kitchen (DESK), and United Services, participated in a 12-month journey to enhance the integration, support, and advancement of the recovery support workforce.
RWLC is founded on the principles of appreciative inquiry, an asset-based methodology that emphasizes identifying and enhancing the inherent strengths of individuals and organizations. By shifting the focus from traditional problem-solving to recognizing and amplifying existing assets, this initiative aimed to integrate the invaluable insights and expertise of individuals with lived experiences into the behavioral healthcare system, fostering a more inclusive and effective approach to recovery.
The workforce, collaborators, and support team shared their vision and dedication to this initiative. This initiative has promoted growth and fostered positive changes in recovery-oriented practices, which have been instrumental to the success of the Learning Collaborative.
The development and execution of the RWLC, as well as the success of the initiative, are a testament to our team's collective effort. We extend our appreciation and commitment to Megan Evans, Maria E. Restrepo-Toro, Patricia Benedict, Kristine Irizarry, Sai Snigdha Talluri, Graziela Reis, Lila Frankovitch, Michaela Fissel, Carl Mancini, Katie McMullan, Elsa Ward, and Chyrell Bellamy.
For more information, contact: Megan Evans at megan.evans@yale.edu, Chyrell Bellamy at chyrell.bellamy@yale.edu, and Maria E. Restrepo-Toro at maria.restrepo-toro@yale.edu