16 hours ago
Brentwood Recovery Home receives nearly $100,000 in provincial grant
A nearly $100,000 grant for the Brentwood Recovery Home.
Brentwood has received a $99,000 Resilient Communities Fund Grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) to grow their Peer Support Training Program.
This program empowers individuals with lived experience of recovery, or who are considered 'alumni' of the program, to help support others on their own recovery journey.
Through this initiative, which launched in July 2024, Brentwood has been able to train three full groups, surpassing the goal of 60 participants.
The content of this course aligns with both provincial and federal peer support guidelines to provide these individuals with the knowledge and skills to offer safe and effective peer-to-peer assistance in Windsor and Essex County.
Sonja Grbevski, executive director of Brentwood Recovery Home, said Brentwood has a really strong alumni base who want to help.
'Being able to provide additional training because we know lots has changed in the trajectory of addictions, or addictions and mental health, and equipping our alumni and peers has been absolutely critical to bring them to that next level of support,' she said.
She said if they weren't provided this grant, they wouldn't have been able to do this program.
'That really speaks to the fact of how important this grant was for us, we were able to do three full cohorts, actually we've surpassed the goal of 60 participants, and being able to spread the knowledge across our alumni group, our peer support initiatives.'
Grbevski said those in recovery want that personal connection.
'We've heard it over and over is, 'Can I please have someone who's gone through this journey to help me walk beside me and guide me along with the formal structure of programs'.'
This funding was for a one-year term.
Approximately 70 individuals are currently on program, however there are a number of individuals who attend daily programming but do not stay on site.
Brentwood Recovery Home is dedicated to providing lifelong, compassionate, and evidence-informed addictions treatment. Through this peer support initiative, alumni remain engaged with the community and reinforce positive recovery outcomes.
- Written by Meagan Delaurier/AM800 News
