The costs of peer recovery support services provided through two models within a recovery community center

Peer recovery support services (PRSS) provided by Recovery Community Centers (RCC) address critical needs for individuals navigating the recovery process. Limited literature exists on the costs of providing these services for individuals with Opioid Use Disorder (OUD). The goal of this study is to identify and cost services for two separate PRSS programs provided by a Kentucky RCC, Voices of Hope-Lexington (VOH).

The study evaluated two models: VOH RCC standard services and an expanded PRSS program, designed to promote MOUD linkage and retention as a core intervention for a federal grant. We collected 2022 financial data from the agency and administered key informant surveys to determine how VOH staff spent their time. The study entered results into a modified Substance Abuse Services Cost Analysis Program (SASCAP) to calculate program costs and estimate average labor costs per week for PRSS and administration.

The RCC standard program enrolled 721 individuals over the course of the year and incurred operating costs of $876,831. A large portion of RCC expenses ($201,671) were dedicated to community support services for daily walk-ins, such as mutual aid meetings, laundry, computer access, and community meals. Administration (46 %) also drove labor expenses. Annual per-participant costs were $2824. The Expanded PRSS program spent $2,500,613 on operations to serve 1411 individuals., Labor accounted for more than two-thirds of costs and the annual per-participant expenses were $5286. Allocations for administrative tasks comprised 20 % of expenses in the expanded PRSS program. The expanded PRSS program also invested heavily into barrier relief services, which was the second largest category for labor expenses among participant-facing services, representing a broad range of needs.

Within the VOH RCC, labor is the primary driver of costs for both PRSS programs. Administrative expenses were high within the standard RCC program since future funding is uncertain. Federally sponsored research funding provided expanded PRSS services for individuals with OUD and allowed for barrier relief support such as transportation and housing. These services were identified as important tools to linking and retaining individuals in treatment beyond the standard RCC provided services.