Across the region, SOR-funded partners continue to prioritize comprehensive treatment and recovery networks by forming strategic and valuable partnerships with external entities to best serve their clients. One way CSBs and agencies have demonstrated their commitment to these partnerships is through building relationships with local jails. Collaborations like these help build a network of care as clients navigate the correctional system and ensure that they receive the treatment they need in all settings. This month, we want to recognize Norfolk CSB and New River Valley Community Services for their success in strengthening such partnerships and we invite you to read the uplifting stories provided by the CSBs below.
We continue to be proud partners in supporting the vital services that you all provide for your communities and look forward to highlighting additional success stories from CSBs and agencies in the coming months. If you have a SOR Treatment or Recovery success story you would like us to highlight, please don’t hesitate to share it with us at SORSupport@omni.org!
Norfolk CSB:
"This quarter marked a major milestone for the Peer Services department as they received formal approval to begin providing outreach and recovery support inside Norfolk City Jail. This achievement reflects months of collaboration, preparation, and relationship building with jail leadership, all driven by a shared commitment to improving access to recovery resources for justice-involved individuals.
With this approval, Peer Specialists are now able to meet directly with incarcerated individuals, offering peer-led support, recovery planning, and linkage to treatment services prior to release. Early engagement is a critical factor in reducing relapse and recidivism, and this new access allows the team to reach individuals at a pivotal moment in their recovery journey.
The initiative has already generated strong interest within the facility, with staff expressing appreciation for the added support and participants reporting increased hope and motivation. By bringing lived experience-based recovery services behind the walls, the Peer Services department is helping bridge gaps in care and strengthening the continuum of support for some of the community’s most vulnerable residents.
This expansion represents not only a departmental success but a meaningful step forward for recovery-oriented care in the region. The team looks forward to continued partnership with Norfolk City Jail and to supporting individuals as they prepare for successful reentry and long-term recovery."
New River Valley Community Services:
“With SOR funds we have increased staff in our local jail. We have increased screening for substance use in the jail, so clients have faster access to MAT, counseling, and peer support. Our staff work closely with the Jail staff to decrease barriers to treatment. With this increase in staff, we are able to work closely with post-jail services to increase community support for clients which includes housing, CM services, peer support services, and transportation.”