Final Year of IRIS: Planning Next Steps 

IRIS has been fortunate to receive five years of funding from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Drug Abuse HEAL Initiative, and to have received a no-cost extension which will allow us to carry on through August 31, 2026.  

During this last year, we look forward to our continued collaboration with the IRIS community. As we wind down, we will continue to share resources through publications, presentations, and other valuable resources. In collaboration with organizations from our Leadership Committee, pilot projects, Fellowship, and other IRIS initiatives, we are planning ways to build on our work through future funding and partnerships.

Supporting Peer Support Workers’ Professional Development and 
Well-Being Through Organizational Changes 

Research Corner: Emerging recovery research to inform practice, policy, and further study

According to SAMHSA (2022), approximately 75% of all substance use treatment facilities offer peer services. Despite the fact that peers are a valuable workforce in substance use recovery, peers’ own work experience and well-being are often overlooked. Many behavioral health organizations face barriers to support peer workers’ unique needs, thus contributing to inadequate integration of peer support services, as well as burnout and turnover among peers. 

In this research corner, we introduce two articles. In the first article, we will mainly summarize organizational strategies that support peers’ work and well-being. The second article presents a best practice model for effective employment of peers in multidisciplinary organizations and offers a more in-depth exploration of peer workers’ experiences.

Thank You IRIS Leadership Committee 

September is Recovery Month 

Now, New, and Upcoming 

Announcements from IRIS and the community 

Virtual Training

Integrating Harm Reduction in Peer Support 

September 26, October 14, November 21, December 19, 2025

Peer Recovery Training and Support Services

This MABPCB approved training provides four CEUs for peers in the new harm reduction domain. This training can also be bundled to meet all Maryland Educational Requirements when taken with CCAR Recovery Coach Academy and “Changing the Narrative: Addressing Stigma, Racism, and Biases within the Peer Role.” Virtual training times are from 9 AM – 1:30 PM or 5 PM – 9:30 PM. Learn more from the flyer and register online.

Publication

“Social Work Assistance and Stipends for Housing (SASH): A Pilot Feasibility Study for Homeless Patients Receiving Methadone for Opioid Use Disorder” 

IRIS Pilot Project

Higher rates of homelessness may be experienced by those receiving methadone for opioid use disorder (MOUD). Housing assistance may be a way to improve housing and MOUD treatment outcomes. This 12-month IRIS-funded pilot study provided patients with housing stipends and social work assistance to research the feasibility of a housing intervention for those receiving MOUD. Read about the project and recently published article.

Conference

Joint Meeting on Youth Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery, “From Risk to Resilience: Transforming Youth Substance Use Care”

March 24 - 26, 2026 in Baltimore, MD

National Center on Youth Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery

This national conference fosters collaboration among researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and families to advance efforts in substance use prevention, early intervention, overdose prevention, treatment, and recovery for youth and young adults. It offers an engaging platform for sharing research, policy updates, and clinical practices. Call for proposals is open and ends October 15, 2025. Learn more about the conference.

Publication

“Building Capacity for Community-Engaged Peer-Focused Research: Results from the IRIS Recovery Research Fellowship” is Now Open-Access

IRIS

The IRIS Recovery Research Fellowship brought together peers with lived experience, service providers, and academics to build research skills and strengthen the integration of peers into the recovery workforce. Using a community-based participatory approach, the program fostered trust in research, connectedness, and advocacy for peer roles. Fellows completed original studies and a position paper, showing significant growth in research capacity. The initiative highlights the need for more hands-on, interdisciplinary opportunities to support peer-led recovery research and evidence-based practice. Read the open-access article.

Video

Hear From Peer Leaders Who Use Research to Make Their Case for Change

IRIS

Originally from “Making Our Case for Change: Peer Research to Improve Programs and Save Lives,” these excerpts include testimonials and calls to action from peer leaders, Dwayne Dean, Megan Sarikaya, Rob Hamm, and Tiffinee Scott. “Making Our Case for Change” features leaders from the peer movement speaking to the value of research as a tool to improve programs, advance the peer workforce, and ensure the delivery of the most effective treatment and recovery services. This video is designed to inspire peers and allied health workers to more deeply integrate research toward enhanced data collection and analysis, program evaluation and quality improvement, as well as scientific studies achieved through community-academic partnerships. Hear from peer leaders.