Recovery Capital

 Recovery Capital refers to the internal and external resources necessary to achieve and sustain recovery.

The Recovery Capital Model recognizes that a variety of dimensions — personal capital, social capital, community capital, emotional support, commitment to sobriety, and well-being — can support or jeopardize recovery depending on how individuals use their capital. Ongoing assessment of strengths and gaps in each dimension helps build a solid foundation in recovery over time. 

 In essence, Recovery Capital is a roadmap for building and sustaining recovery beyond access to acute treatment interventions. It is a construct to educate, assess, and measure individual’s progress with any entry point to the various pathways of recovery. It can be used as the centerpiece of care planning discussion at the clinical, recovery coach, or peer support levels. Therefore, Recovery Capital can be applied as a best practice assessment tool to track the progress and outcomes of care from any point on the recovery continuum through a multi-year recovery journey toward health, wellness, and a perceived higher quality of life. 

 My personal internal resources — such as my skills, values, education, health, hopes, and aspirations; and my external resources

such as property and money.

• I have a clearer sense of my values and am living them more fully today
• I am learning and growing in areas of interest
• I eat healthy, filling, and nutritious foods daily
• I routinely engage in physical activity that I can do to strengthen my body, increase flexibility, and build endurance
• I have financial resources to provide for myself (and my family)

 My social resources and support from relationships with my social networks that require commitment or obligations (such as intimate relationships, family, friends, coworkers, and other social groups).

• I have an intimate partner who is supportive of my recovery
• I have sober friends that I enjoy spending time with
• I have meaningful relationships with my family of origin (biological family)
• I get the emotional support I need from other people
• I actively reach out to friends to stay connected (e.g., by phone, text, email)

 My access to local community resources such as reasonable housing, training, employment opportunities, and transportation.

• I routinely collaborate with a peer that supports my recovery (someone also in recovery, coach, mentor, sponsor)
• I regularly attend recovery group meetings (in-person. online)
• I maintain healthy boundaries in my recovery community (e.g., emotional, material, physical, sexual, spiritual)
• I participate in a work-related training or education program
• I get help from substance use recovery professionals (e.g., counselors, therapists, recovery coaches, professional peer support) 

 The obstacles or barriers that prevent my access to or progress in building recovery strengths — such as ongoing substance use, risk around injecting practices, involvement with crime or the justice system, homelessness or insecure housing, and lack of meaningful activities.

• I actively socialize with others who drink or use drugs problematically
• I am homeless or have been at risk of being homeless in the past 30 days
• I am not currently working full-time or part-time
• I cannot obtain the medications prescribed to me
• I am currently in a relationship that makes me feel unsafe

 My perception of shortfalls or unmet needs in the professional support and help I receive in areas such as housing, substance use, employment, relationships, and primary and mental health.

• I have not addressed my substance use counseling or treatment needs
• I do not have safe and secure housing
• I do not have adequate food for myself (and my family
• I do not have adequate transportation
• I do not have access to public assistance services