A Model for Rural Low-Barrier Highly Adaptable Community Recovery Centers: The Possibility Shop

Session Description: In this session we will describe the creation and operation of the Possibility Shop in Cumberland, MD to address needs voiced by the community. It is a low barrier resource with a wide range of services to meet almost everyone where they are at. We will describe how services and service delivery has evolved over the 3+ years of operation. We will describe how we engage our clients and assess their needs. Funding has been a braided approach to ensure a variety of services are covered and sustainability maintained. Small grants to buy supplies and larger grants to maintain staff for a variety of services. Relationships with other stakeholders such law enforcement, faith community, public health, social services, business community, and the public will be described. Controversies and efforts to maintain trust with the community will also be addressed. Maryland Department of Health (MDH) will describe how the harm reduction services provided at the Shop fit data and gaps present throughout the state. MDH will also speak to braiding funding at the state level to create grants that can cover a wider variety of services. Staffing is provided entirely by Peers, Community Health Workers and Health Insurance Navigators. Space is provided to other agencies and organizations to operate their programs at the Shop. Concentrating as many resources as possible at the Shop is a primary objective. Current efforts to expand this model to smaller more remote communities will be described.