SAMHSA–Sponsored Webinar: Opening Doors to Recovery

May 15, 2015

Individuals who have been caught up in the criminal justice system have multiple needs for services like mental health care, substance abuse care, housing and case management. The Opening Doors to Recovery (ODR) Project works with these individuals to help them successfully navigate the system and get on the road to recovery. This webinar explains how the program got started, how it works now and how ODR has successfully partnered with prisons to help individuals returning to communities rebuild their lives. 

This webinar took place on May 28. Watch the recording or download the slides.

Speakers

Bill Carruthers is in long-term recovery from mental illness and substance abuse. For 35 years, he struggled with addiction, mental illness, homelessness and involvement with the criminal justice system. Bill was one of the original Community Navigation Specialists for the Opening Doors to Recovery program. Today, he is a certified Peer Specialist and Addiction Recovery Empowerment Specialist and the director of Savannah Counseling Service’s peer program. He is also on the state Board of Directors for NAMI Georgia. He is on the advisory committee for his local Jail Diversion Trauma Recovery program and is certified in the crisis intervention team (CIT) training. Bill is a veteran of the United States Navy.

Nora Lott Haynes is the Former Director of the Opening Doors to Recovery Program. Nora was appointed by Georgia Governor Perdue to chair the Disabilities Ombudsman Selection Committee. She was instrumental in the creation of the Georgia Behavioral Health Coordinating Council and developed a developed partnership with GBI to implement crisis intervention teams (CIT) in Georgia. She is a former board member of CIT International and serves as the Vice President of NAMI Georgia.