Joan Sciorta
Lead Recovery Specialist
RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR)
Joan “Joanie” Sciorta is currently the Lead Recovery Specialist with the Monmouth County Recovery Collaborative Program for RWJBarnabas Health Institute for Prevention and Recovery (IFPR). Prior to joining the Recovery Collaborative team, she spearheaded the recovery support component of IFPR’s Support Team for Addiction Recovery (STAR) program.
Using her own lived experience of over 30 years, she spread hope to those living with substance use disorder (SUD) in Middlesex County. She built a collaborative network between the justice system and community providers within Middlesex County; including jails, drug court, and Middlesex County Adult Substance Abuse Program (ASAP) in order to support individuals with SUD. Understanding the philosophy that successful recovery depends on finding and using the support that works best for individuals with SUD, she increase linkage to appropriate services and resources in the community; promoted improved recovery, wellness, and healthy lifestyles; engaged peers by supporting all pathways to recovery and supported their journey to regain meaningful roles and relationships in the community.
Capitalizing on her success in creating a recovery-oriented system of care in Middlesex County for individuals living with SUD, Joanie brings her energy and expertise of recovery support to Monmouth County. As a National Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist (NCPRSS), she is dedicated to the recovery movement and passionately believes she meets nobody by mistake, we meet each other right on time … not a minute too soon or a moment too late.
Presentation information is coming soon.
Workshop Session 4
Front Line Collaborations: Peer Recovery Support and Law Enforcement
Both Peer Recovery Support Services and Law Enforcement are responding on the front lines to the opioid Epidemic, recognizing that substance use disorder impacts the community on multiple levels including public health and public safety. In this session, we will highlight the collaborative approach between peer recovery support services and law enforcement agencies working together, to ensure equitable access to recovery support within the communities they serve. We will look at how the programs are meeting the unique needs of the community, the successes, the challenges, and how a network of professionals are utilizing best practices to reshape the landscape of recovery support accessibility in the state of NJ. With the assistance of federal and state funding, some counties are continuing to operate traditional, arrest-based programs, while others have chosen to proactively link individuals living with substance use disorder to treatment and/or recovery services through non-arrest modules such as mobile vehicles, on-scene response teams, Superior Court or Municipal Court programs, and direct “boots on the ground” outreach to localized areas and to those identified as most at-risk of overdosing. The Panel Discussion is with leaders working within these collaborative programs between peer recovery support services and law enforcement within New Jersey. All Attendees will have the opportunity to learn about these valuable resources and their impact on communities while interacting with the panelists.
RENEWAL/CEU CREDIT
This workshop is approved for 1-hour Renewal Credit/CEU for: IC&RC/NJ-AP Certification Board | NAADAC