Recovery Friendly Community

We are proud to announce that the Town of West Harford was recently designated as a Recovery Friendly Community.  We support those who are in recovery from substance misuse and/or mental health disorders by 1) raising awareness of the nature of such conditions, 2) promoting health and recovery by reducing stigma and discrimination and 3) building or improving the environmental factors necessary for recoveries to flourish.  Expected benefits of a Recovery Friendly Community may be reduced substance use, reduced overdoses, reduced crime, an improved sense of compassion, humanity and citizenship and positive statewide visibility.

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSA) defines recovery as “a process of change through which individuals improve their health and wellness, live a self-directed life, and strive to reach their full potential” and notes that there are “four major dimensions that support a life in recovery: health, home, purpose, and community.”

In Connecticut, residents are more likely to die from unintentional drug overdose than a motor vehicle accident. Most of these deaths are linked to overdose of prescription opioid painkillers and illicit opioids. According to the CDC, the 2020 Connecticut age-adjusted rate for drug-induced mortality was 39.1 per 100,000 population compared to the 2020 national rate of 28.3. One in four people will experience a mental health disorder and they do recover.

The Recovery Friendly Community Initiative helps to build consensus among stakeholders and momentum for change while focusing our efforts on several key ideas:

• Empowerment – The Initiative is based on empowering people in recovery at all levels within the system and offering hope that they can lead self-determined and fulfilling lives, directed toward achieving their highest potential.
• Individualized and Person-Centered – The Initiative focuses on providing culturally competent and individualized care and support chosen by the person in recovery to meet his/her unique needs.
• Built on Cornerstones – It builds on work that has been occurring in the behavioral health community over the past several decades, but also expands that work into new and exciting areas (e.g., use of peer supports).
• Systematic Emphasis – Using recovery-oriented standards, practice guidelines, performance monitoring and contracting language, it systematizes how we conceptualize, implement and operate services and supports.
• Quality and Outcome-Oriented – It emphasizes outcomes and incorporates the best available practices from scientific literature and from the informative experiences of people in recovery.

2026 Mini-Grant Recipient and Program Information

In November 2025, West Hartford Social Services and the West Hartford Prevention Partnership invited eligible organizations to apply for mini-grants to address the opioid crisis in the West Hartford community. These grants, funded by national opioid settlement funds, aim to support community-based initiatives focused on prevention, harm reduction, treatment access, and recovery support. We're pleased to announce the projects selected for 2026:

InsideARTside, LLC
Visionary Vision Book: Watercolor Pathways to Resilience 
A 10-week expressive arts program integrating Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) principles and Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART) recovery-aligned tools to help youth build resilience, emotional regulation, and prevention-focused decision-making.

Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford (JFS)
Community in Motion: A Seasonal Hiking Series with Lhakpa Sherpa and JFS
Join JFS for a nature-based hiking series designed to promote emotional wellness, resilience, and community for those in recovery or those simply seeking connection. Led by Lhakpa Sherpa, a renowned climber who has summited Everest 10 times, the program will help participants explore inner strength, restore confidence, and experience the healing power of the seasons through themes of resilience, hope, and thriving. We will begin and end each walk with a mindfulness practice and the opportunity to learn from Lhakpa. All hikes are free and open to adults in our community. For more information, visit jfshartford.org.

West Hartford Community of Concern (CC)
Supporting Youth in a Digital World 
A three-part education series for parents and caregivers. The program aims to reduce youth substance misuse by targeting upstream digital risk factors, including online influence, social pressure, anxiety, and exposure to substance-use content. The series is designed to engage families across the entire school-age continuum, from elementary through high school, acknowledging that digital risks and substance exposure now begin earlier and change across developmental stages. For more information, visit https://communityofconcernwh.wordpress.com/.

Mandell Jewish Community Center (JCC)
Hope in Recovery
A series of programs planned for Mental Health month that will promote a recovery lifestyle and self-care, provide prevention and awareness for teens, and coordinate local collaboration with Jewish clergy for addictions. Planned sessions include an art program for women, a coed recovery afternoon featuring massage and acupuncture, and a HOPE bracelet-making program for teens. For more information, visit mandelljcc.org.

Mental Health Hub at Westminster Presbyterian Church (WPC)
Addressing Root Causes and Solutions: The Science and Psychology of Opioid Misuse and Prevention 
A symposium focused on the science, psychology, and the role that Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) play and link to substance misuse, including opioid dependency. The goal is to provide parents, caregivers, and youth-serving community volunteers/mentors in West Hartford with the knowledge and tools to identify the impacts of trauma and actively build resilience in youth.