Massachusetts Recovery Learning Community Charter

RECOVERY LEARNING COMMUNITY CHARTER Updated: April, 2013

This document is intended to describe the foundational elements of a Recovery Learning Community (RLC) in sufficient detail so as to ensure the integrity of the RLC model and mission, while remaining flexible enough that each RLC may continue to be shaped to reflect the differences and diversities within its individual community.

There are two different categories of RLC as defined by this charter:

 Full Charter Member RLC  RLC Affiliate Member

CRITERIA TO BE DEFINED AS AN RLC AFFILIATE MEMBER: Physical Space:

It is critical to understand that the RLC stands for Recovery Learning COMMUNITY and NOT ‘center.’ This means that RLCs are NOT defined by any fixed physical spaces, but rather by the people and activities within each community. However, it is further understood that RLCs need to create multiple ‘doors’ through which people can enter the community and that a center(s) is one essential ‘door’ that should be offered. Pertaining to physical spaces:

 Each RLC center will be designed with community input in comfortable, attractive and respectful settings using non-institutional furnishings, art and materials in good condition.

 Although it is acknowledged that work areas for paid staff may be necessary, centers will not be divided into ‘staff only’ areas and locked doors will be avoided.

 Spaces will not be used as traditional ‘drop in’ centers. As such, RLCs will not be expected to maintain extensive, traditional ‘drop in’ hours, though may have some basic open hours that offer flexible opportunities to be in a community space and access resources.

 Any signage that uses language not consistent with RLC values or that unduly impinges upon the non-clinical, respectful environment of the RLC center or activity will not be used. Signs as a means of communication in general will be limited or avoided all together.

 Name badges and other overt ways of differentiating between RLC workers and others in the community will not be used. RLC workers will also be expected to dress in a way that blends in with community.

 Routine video taping for security purposes will not occur inside of any RLC spaces.

 All individuals who visit or work in RLC-designated spaces will share in the responsibility for taking care of those spaces.

 Physical spaces will be chosen and designed with accessibility in mind. This includes wheelchair access, bathrooms that are not gender specific and so on. It is also expected that RLC’s will support the development of materials in other languages, the use of interpreters, the presence of TTY and/or Video Relay systems, and team members who are able to speak other languages as a way of increasing access to spaces, events and information. It is acknowledged that the RLC may not always have control over certain aspects of buildings in which they have space, but will actively advocate for changes as needed or move to different spaces if changes are not possible over the long-term.

Membership & Documentation:

The RLCs are unique from many other services in their ability to be open and accessible to anyone who has a genuine reason for wanting to participate. This may include people who clearly identify as having lived experience, or those who simply identify as seeking personal growth and benefit from an aspect of what is offered. Pertaining to membership and documentation:  Personal interest in participating in any aspect of the RLC will be the only restriction for membership to the community (excluding only those individuals who wish to participate solely for observational purposes unless advanced permission is given). No geographic or diagnostic limitations shall be enforced and no referrals or intake processes are required.

 All participation in any aspect of the RLC must be fully voluntary. Individuals seeking support will always have the right and responsibility for initiating support, defining the type of support they access (amongst those options available), and ending the relationship even if the support they initially sought continues to be available to them.

 Individuals will only be asked to stop or limit their participation in any aspect of the RLC when they demonstrate that they are not able or willing to follow the values and agreements of the community or activity. Typically, any limitations on participation will be time limited and include a process for returning to the community or activity in the future.

 Numbers of individuals participating may be kept for records, but no one will be required to routinely sign in to gain access to the RLC. Occasionally, specific projects may have a higher requirement for research or funder-designated purposes but this should always be the exception, and participation in that particular project must always be voluntary and refusal must never limit overall access to the broader RLC community.

 The RLC will not maintain any service planning, shift notes, risk assessments or other documentation pertaining to individuals participating in the RLC. Occasionally, specific projects may have a higher requirement for research or funder-designated purposes but this should always be the exception, and participation in that particular project must always be voluntary and refusal must never limit overall access to the broader RLC community. Exceptions will never include assessments or any documentation that is not driven by the individual seeking support.  RLC workers will not be required to report back to any clinical staff or administrators of the host agency or providers on individuals participating in any aspect of the RLC.

 No routine files or documentation will be kept by RLC workers on anyone participating in the RLC. Occasionally, specific projects may have a higher requirement for research or funder-designated purposes but this should always be the exception, and participation in that particular project must always be voluntary and refusal must never limit overall access to the broader RLC community. Exceptions will never include assessments or any documentation that is not driven by the individual seeking support. Where documentation is produced based on self-initiated projects, individual will be seen as owning the file for themselves and be encouraged to take it with them or maintain it themselves.

 No ‘staff only’ meetings will be held to discuss individuals in the RLC community. Team meetings for RLC staff to talk about the overall development of the RLC and general issues and concerns are anticipated to occur.

Governance & Oversight:

The RLCs are intended to be community-driven and led by individuals who identify as having their own experience with psychiatric diagnoses, trauma and/or extreme states. Pertaining to governance and oversight:

 RLCs hosted by larger agencies will retain primary responsibility for oversight and management of their own budgets, hiring and other core administrative practices. This does not preclude support as needed from the host agency for these various processes. Opportunities to enhance an independent identity (separate phone systems, e-mails with RLC addresses rather than host addresses, etc.) will be encouraged.

 RLCs will maintain an advisory board (typically called a Guiding Council). For RLCs with no host agency, this board may also serve as their Board of Directors. Advisory Boards will include a majority of individuals (51% or greater) who identify as having personal experience with psychiatric diagnoses, extreme states and/or trauma and will be responsible for providing input on the growth and ‘bigger picture’ elements of the RLC’s development. No employees of the host agency may serve a formal role on an advisory board although they may attend meetings for informational or technical support reasons.

 Direct RLC leadership will be comprised of individuals who identify as having significant lived experience and who are willing to share aspects of their stories and themselves with the community. It is also anticipated that a majority of all RLC employees, consultants, interns and volunteers (75% or more) will also identify in this way. Any employees, consultants, interns or volunteers who may not identify in this way will nonetheless be expected to share and demonstrate a deep commitment to the values of the RLC and be willing to identify and share from the perspective of their own human experience.

Activities:

It is fully understood that activities will vary significantly from RLC to RLC and will be based on a variety of factors including resources available, funding, and expressed needs and wants of individuals within the RLC community. Pertaining to RLC activities:

 Although RLCs are intentional communities focused on healing and growth at an individual and community level, RLC activities offered will NOT solely focus on issues of recovery, wellness and emotional health. RLC perspective regards people as whole beings with a number of needs, goals and desires and conversation and activities should be sufficiently flexible to allow for that perspective to be held.

 RLCs will promote the idea that there are different paths to healing and growth for different people. They will avoid using language or making statements that suggest there is only one way to move forward, though it is also accepted that many of their offerings may focus on alternatives as many mainstream ideas and approaches are already available elsewhere.

 RLCs will offer multiple ways for individuals in the community to express ideas and help shape what workshops, classes, meetings and events occur. This includes the Guiding Council but may also include center-based meetings for community feedback, project-based committees, day-to-day opportunities through general conversation and so on.

 RLCs will provide a variety of options, but will have at least some offerings in each of the following categories that are considered core to the RLC vision:

o Individual & Group Peer-to-Peer Support

. This may include 1:1 support in person or by phone; Events that create opportunity for connection and enhancement of social networks; Mentoring and skill building support; General or topic-specific support groups, etc.

o Learning & Growth Opportunities

. This may include topic-specific trainings provided by RLC workers, consultants and community as well as by speakers that the RLC may bring in to the community on a variety of topics, consultation on peer worker job development, etc.

o Change agent / Advocacy

. This may include building awareness around rights, laws and issues that impact the community, advocating for change in local, statewide or national policies, participating as a member on boards and committees responsible for assessing or developing policies and protocols, providing support (upon request) to individuals who feel their rights have not been upheld or fully heard, etc. o Holistic and Alternative Approaches to Healing

. This may include offering free access to healing modalities that are not typically as accessible to the community such as yoga, acupuncture, Reiki and so on. Offering may include opportunities to learn about these modalities or opportunities to actually participate in them.

Values:

The RLCs are values-driven – rather than rules-driven – communities. Pertaining to values:

 RLCs will develop and maintain a values statement that is made readily available to the community and that is used to help guide community development, connections and conflicts as they arise.

 At a minimum, the following core values will be represented in all aspects of the RLC:

o Mutuality

o Trauma-Sensitivity

o Acceptance of different perspectives (including non-illness based ways of interpreting experiences)

o Person-first, strengths-based, open, every day language

o Culture of respect, support and compassion

o Accessibility

o Self-determination

o Focus on healing through relationships

 The RLC community will share responsibility for holding these values together CRITERIA TO BE DEFINED A FULL RLC CHARTER MEMBER:

Full RLC Charter Membership is the goal of all RLCs wishing to fully represent the RLC model. In order to be considered a full RLC Charter Member, the RLC will meet all criteria listed above as well as:

 RLCs will not be linked with host agencies that are responsible for providing traditional mental health services. This can seriously inhibit their ability to operate from a peer-driven perspective and to act as a change agent within the broader mental health system.

 Primary RLC Centers will not be housed within provider settings. This should not be interpreted to preclude RLCs from entering or holding space in provider settings where it may help to increase access to people there, but these spaces should not be considered RLC Centers and should never take the place of RLC Centers in the community.

 An RLC will hold a majority (65% or more) of its meetings, events, trainings, and classes in non-provider-based, non-institutional settings. RLC Centers that meet the requirement of not being housed within a provider setting also meet the definition of a ‘non-provider-based, non- institutional setting’ for activity purposes.

 Of the activities that are not held in provider-based/institutional settings, an average of 20% of those activities per month should also be held outside of RLC Centers. For example, locations may include restaurants, libraries, colleges, other non-provider-based community support locations, etc.

 To further increase accessibility to support and information for those who have difficulty accessing the community by phone and/or In person, RLCs will also maintain multiple ways to access the RLC at a distance. This may include at least two or more of the following: Well developed websites that share a variety of information and resources, on-line support groups, the opportunity to call or Skype into meetings, Facebook communities and so on.