Research to Recovery 2026

This presentation will provide an overview of the Re-Entry and Recovery Specialist Program within Public Defender Offices throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. This program is unique in its approach to treating addiction as a disease within the criminal justice system. We begin with briefly introducing how the Opioid Abatement Authority came to be and how it contributed to the initiation of the Re-Entry and Recovery Specialist program in The Virginia Indigent Defense Commission. We will share how the program is implemented, and the ways in which our specialists assist our clients throughout their legal journey. We will also show how they address SUD and support recovery beyond the resolution of clients’ legal matters. The presentation will highlight the ways in which these specialists’ experience and training benefit the Public Defenders by appropriately addressing SUD and supporting recovery in conjunction with their legal circumstances.

Learning Objectives
Classify the various roles within Public Defender offices and distinguish between the responsibilities of each role and how they work together to provide holistic support. 

Discuss how differences in training/experience between these roles helps our defense teams address recovery in a more meaningful way during incarceration/community supervision, the courtroom and re-entry. 

Explain how the Opioid Abatement Authority came to be and led to the creation of the Re-Entry and Recovery Specialist Program. 

Differentiate the role of Re-entry and Recovery Specialists in Public Defender Offices from other probably more familiar roles outside of the criminal justice system e.g. recovery coaches, case managers, social workers etc. 

Demonstrate how to use skills such as OARS, active listening, and eliciting, as well as interview/assessment/resource navigation/goal-setting tools (with examples provided) to aid human services professionals in supporting their clients/patients/participants. 

Examine legal and recovery outcomes as shown in data collected throughout the program’s lifespan.