Peer Recovery Support: Changing Lives in Bergen County

What began in 2016 as a small team of volunteers visiting hospital patients after an overdose has grown into a full-scale lifeline. Today, The Center for Alcohol and Drug Resources’ Peer Recovery Support Program includes a team of 19 staff and a 24/7 hotline, helping individuals and families across Bergen County on the journey to recovery.

Peers, who are in recovery themselves, help participants navigate paperwork, attend their first 12-step meetings, and find housing and a sense of purpose. “Recovery can be very lonely,” says Jessica Fernandez, Director of Recovery Supports. “We want people to feel they belong and that someone truly understands what they’re going through. We help them feel a sense of connection and community as they rebuild their lives.”

In 2024 alone, the team responded to 1,309 hotline calls, distributed 1,096 Narcan kits, and deployed peers 568 times to hospitals or community locations.

The numbers tell only part of the story. Russell, 50, was homeless and living in the Bergen County shelter when he met the Peer Recovery team at a sound healing event. He has an alcohol use disorder and was ready to make a change. Paired with a Peer Recovery Specialist who has been by his side through setbacks and achievements, Russell has now secured housing, is job hunting, and is active in sober social events like rock climbing, bowling, and meditation. “He has a team supporting him and knows he’s not doing it alone,” says Jessica.

“We meet people wherever they are,” she continues. “That might be after an arrest at the county jail, in a hospital bed after an overdose, at the shelter, or through a call to our hotline. We assist them in taking the next step in their recovery, whether by accompanying them to their first 12-step meeting, helping them find transportation, or connecting them to resources such as housing.”

The program offers multiple entry points—at six hospitals in Bergen County, the Bergen County Jail, and local shelters—ensuring recovery is accessible to everyone. Outreach efforts like “Knock and Talks” bring services directly to residents and those staying in hotels, often in partnership with law enforcement. Individuals are offered Narcan, resources, and the chance to connect with a Peer Recovery Specialist, in an effort to provide support on their journey to recovery.