GREENE COUNTY — Greene County, a rural community of about 11,500 residents in Illinois, is making strides to combat substance use disorder and reduce recidivism through a targeted recovery support program launched in 2023.

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The Greene County Health Department (GCHD) received a grant from the Illinois Department of Human Services to implement the Recovery Corps program, which pairs individuals with peer Recovery Navigators to help them overcome addiction and avoid the justice system.

Molly PetersThe program emerged after years of rising substance use challenges and limited local resources. In 2019, Greene County reported one of the state’s highest nonfatal overdose rates, and behavioral health providers struggled to meet demand.

In response, stakeholders, including law enforcement, public health officials, and community members, formed the Greene County Mental Health Coalition in 2022 to improve access to recovery services.

“Individuals with persistent substance use-related challenges receive targeted support to improve their lives and steer clear of the justice system and jail,” said Molly Peters, Public Health Administrator at GCHD. “We are happy to report that we have been awarded the Illinois Department of Human Services Recovery-Oriented Systems of Care (ROSC) grant for FY26 to continue our work forward.”

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Recovery Corps, an AmeriCorps program administered by the nonprofit Ampact, employs Recovery Navigators with lived experience of substance use disorder. These navigators work one-on-one with participants to set individualized goals and connect them to services addressing mental and physical health, housing, employment, education, and social supports.

Since its launch, the program has served 113 participants, with 64% showing improvement in their Recovery Capital Score — a measure of progress across multiple recovery dimensions. During the 2024-25 program year, participants set 196 individualized goals with navigator support.

The program operates in close partnership with the Greene County Drug Court, law enforcement agencies, and local nonprofits. Many individuals involved in the drug court are referred to Recovery Corps, and inmates at the county jail now have access to substance use counseling and medication-assisted treatment such as suboxone and buprenorphine. The Health Department has also distributed naloxone (Narcan) to schools, businesses, and law enforcement to prevent overdose deaths.

Strong collaboration among local institutions has been a key factor in the program’s success. Circuit Court Judge Zachary Schmidt and the Greene County Sheriff have supported the rehabilitative approach, regularly referring individuals to Recovery Navigators. The program also challenges employment-related stereotypes by recruiting people with lived experience as navigators, who assist participants with job readiness and applications.

Despite these advances, GCHD faces workforce shortages common to behavioral health services statewide, limiting its capacity to expand peer recovery support. Recovery Corps helps address this gap by training members who can earn professional recovery specialist credentials.

The Recovery Corps initiative reflects a broader shift in Greene County toward destigmatizing substance use disorders and normalizing harm reduction strategies. By integrating services across health, justice, and community sectors, the county aims to break cycles of addiction and incarceration.

The program’s ongoing funding was renewed in 2024, and efforts continue to expand services, including the recent establishment of an Overdose Fatality Review team. As the county moves forward, GCHD and its partners remain focused on sustaining and growing the network of supports critical to recovery.

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