Background

The United States is facing an unprecedented addiction and overdose epidemic. In 2017, the U.S. Department 

of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency in response to the increasing number of 

opioid-related overdoses and deaths. Between fiscal year (FY) 2017 and FY 2022, AmeriCorps invested over 

$129 million to fund projects addressing opioid addiction and other substance use disorders (SUDs). One 

promising strategy to address the rising rates of SUDs and drug overdose is recovery coaching, which is the 

process in which a nonclinical professional (i.e., coaches) with or without lived experience with a SUD provides 

guidance to individuals with an SUD by helping them to access care and by supporting them in the removal of 

barriers to recovery (Zandniapour et al., 2020). 

AmeriCorps’ Office of Research and Evaluation (ORE) has funded a bundled evaluation that comprises 11 

AmeriCorps-supported organizations using diverse recovery coaching models. This bundled evaluation 

focused on three overarching research objectives: 1) to determine what recovery coaching models look like; 2) 

to describe promising practices and challenges in implementing recovery coaching models; and 3) to measure 

AmeriCorps Bundled Evaluation 

of Recovery Coaching

EVALUATION OVERVIEW

RECOVERY COACHING BUNDLED EVALUATION AND CAPACITY BUILDING PROJECT

February 2024
EVALUATION OVERVIEW

2 

the effectiveness of the recovery coaching model in improving outcomes for the organizations, recovery 

coaches, and program participants. The evaluation also included program-specific evaluation capacity 

building through the provision of technical assistance to participating organizations. This bundled evaluation 

and capacity building project benefited from the engagement, insights, and inputs of a technical workgroup of 

esteemed experts that advised the project at all stages of planning through implementation. 

What Did the Recovery Coaching Bundled Evaluation Do?

The evaluation used a mixed methods approach to examine the implementation of recovery coaching models 

across different organizations as well as outcomes for organizations, recovery coaches, and program 

participants. In addition to a review of organization program documents, qualitative and quantitative data from 

surveys, interviews, and focus groups were gathered in 2021–2024 to address the three research objectives. 

Preliminary analyses of data were completed in September 2023; the four participating organizations 

comprising the preliminary analyses, their mission and population of focus, and the role of AmeriCorps State 

and National Members/VISTAs are summarized in exhibit 1. Final analyses including data from all 11 

organizations that participated in data collection activities through January 2024 will be detailed in a 

forthcoming report.

EXHIBIT 1.— Participating organizations in preliminary findings 

Organization Project Mission and Target Population Role of AmeriCorps Members

Above and Beyond 

Family Recovery 

Center (AnB) – 

Chicago, Ill. & 

neighboring 

suburbs (with a 

focus on Chicago’s 

West Side)

Mission: Addiction recovery services and 

supportive services

Focus population: Low-income individuals 

and families experiencing homelessness, 

unemployed individuals, individuals with 

disabilities, formerly incarcerated adults, 

veterans, and military families 

7 VISTAs: Provide project 

management and capacity-building 

services related to housing and 

employment, community outreach, 

and education 

Foundation for 

Recovery (FFR) – 

Nevada

Mission: Peer recovery support services for 

mental health and substance use disorder 

(SUD) recovery to vulnerable teenaged and 

adult populations

Focus population: Individuals in detention 

centers, jails, and emergency room 

departments, and those in underserved areas 

with nonexistent or extremely limited services 

10+ AmeriCorps State and National 

members: Serve as “recovery 

navigators,” delivering peer recovery 

support services 

Healing Action 

Network (Healing 

Action) – St. Louis, 

Mo. & surrounding 

areas

Mission: Preventative mental health services 

Focus population: Adult survivors of 

commercial sexual exploitation; most clients 

have experienced complex, multilayered 

trauma and have mental health-related 

diagnoses

11 AmeriCorps State and National 

members: Provide case 

management, opioid education, 

naloxone distribution, therapeutic 

counseling, and community 

education 

Recovery Corps – 

Minnesota 

& Illinois

Mission: Peer support to assist those in 

recovery with achieving their goals and 

increasing recovery capital 

Focus population: Teens and adults in 

recovery for various types of SUDs being 

served across multiple organization types

58 AmeriCorps State and National

members: Serve as either recovery 

navigators, delivering peer support 

and recovery coaching services, or 

as opioid response project 

coordinators; members additionally 

help engage volunteers in service 

projects
EVALUATION OVERVIEW

3 

Potential Impact of the Bundled Evaluation

The evaluation fills critical knowledge gaps on recovery coaching as a promising treatment strategy across 

AmeriCorps-supported organizations; how the recovery coaching model varied across organizations; and the 

experiences of and/or benefits from recovery coaching as self-reported by coaches, program participants, 

program directors, and partner organizations. The findings also explore the role of lived experience in recovery 

coaching outcomes, add to the nascent but growing evidence base on the effects of recovery coaching 

models on substance use and well-being, and support evidence-based treatment implementation across 

AmeriCorps-supported and other organizations.

Contact Information

AmeriCorps: Jehyra M. Asencio-Yace, JAsencioYace@americorps.gov; Ashley Lederman, 

ALederman@americorps.gov

ICF: Sara Perrins, Sara.Perrins@icf.com; Samantha Spinney, Samantha.Spinney@icf.com

References

Zandniapour, L., Menon, R., Renier, T., & Dermanjian, S. (2020). A promising response to the opioid crisis: CNCSsupported recovery coach programs. Corporation for National and Community Service, Office of 

Research and Evaluation. 

https://americorps.gov/sites/default/files/evidenceexchange/23419_CNCS_ORE_Opioid_Report_v03

_RELEASE_508_1.pdf 
EVALUATION OVERVIEW

Produced and published at U.S. taxpayer expense.

Acknowledgements 

The ICF evaluation team would like to acknowledge the many members of the AmeriCorps Office of Research and 

Evaluation and the participating AmeriCorps-supported organizations, as well as the AmeriCorps members and VISTAs 

and program beneficiaries who contributed to this study. They provided valuable information and feedback to ensure the 

evaluation team was able to fully capture the unique peer recovery coaching programs supported by AmeriCorps and how 

those programs were able to leverage AmeriCorps national service models to tackle a critical priority. The evaluation team 

looks forward to continued collaboration with ORE on high-quality evaluation work that can inform policy and practice 

regarding how national service may be used to address national priorities. We also want to thank BCT Partners for their 

external evaluation of the evaluation capacity building component of the project and contributions to this report on this 

topic. Their outside perspective was vital in supporting the outcomes of the work. Finally, we would like to thank the 

esteemed members of the technical working group—Rachel Bruns, Dr. Leslie Goodyear, Dr. Kathryn Newcomer, Gabriel 

Rhoads, Dr. Herbert Turner, and Dr. Abraham Wandersman—who advised and provided feedback to improve the quality 

and clarity of this evaluation. 

About AmeriCorps 

AmeriCorps, the federal agency for national service and volunteerism, provides opportunities for Americans to serve their 

country domestically, address the nation’s most pressing challenges, improve lives and communities, and strengthen civic 

engagement. Each year, the agency places more than 200,000 AmeriCorps members and AmeriCorps Seniors volunteers 

in intensive service roles and empowers millions more to serve as long-term, short-term, or one-time volunteers. Learn 

more at AmeriCorps.gov. 

About the Office of Research and Evaluation 

The AmeriCorps Office of Research and Evaluation assists AmeriCorps and its partners in collecting, analyzing, and 

disseminating data and insights about AmeriCorps programs and civic life in America. 

This report was commissioned by AmeriCorps’ Office of Research and Evaluation under Contract #GS00Q14OADU209 

and Order #95332A20F0075. Information in this report is in the public domain.

Suggested Citation

O’Connor, R., Perrins, S., Spinney, S., Holbrook, B., Shepard-Moore, H., Rakes, E., MacDonald, A., Fitzgerald, K., & Sarwana, M. 

(2023). An evaluation of AmeriCorps-supported peer recovery coach programs – Cohort 1: Fiscal year 2020. ICF.

Photo Credit

Stock images

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