Akron, Ohio | January 2026 – An executive leadership initiative developed by Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO) is yielding a major systems-level outcome: the launch of Ohio’s first Peer Bridger pilot program, led by Summit Recovery Hub.
The Peer Bridger pilot—SummitBRIDGE—emerged directly from OhioPRO’s Executive Leadership Program, which pairs peer leaders with experienced mentors to strengthen leadership capacity and foster innovation within peer run organizations. One such mentor-mentee partnership between China Darrington, founder and CEO of Summit Recovery Hub in Akron and Taina Martinez-Laing, CEO of New York State’s largest peer-led organization, Baltic Street Wellness Solutions, led to the design and forthcoming implementation of this first-of-its-kind model in Ohio.
“We talk so much about outputs, but this is a true outcome of investing in leadership for peers and peer run organizations,” said Michael J. Krause, Executive Director of OhioPRO. “This pilot is a direct result of investing in people, mentorship, and peer leadership, and it demonstrates what becomes possible when peers are supported to lead systems change.”
The Peer Bridger model focuses on supporting individuals during one of the most vulnerable moments in recovery: the transition from hospital, crisis, or institutional care back into the community. Unlike traditional discharge processes that rely primarily on referrals and paperwork, Peer Bridgers offer relationship-based, peer-led support that begins before discharge and continues through reintegration.
China emphasized the significance of the pilot for both peers and the broader recovery system.
“As a peer and as a leader, I am incredibly honored that Summit Recovery Hub will pilot Ohio’s first Peer Bridger program,” said China. “This is a profound vote of confidence in the power of lived experience and in the capacity of peer run organizations to drive real systems change.”
“For years, many of us in the peer recovery movement have known that the transition from hospital or crisis care back into the community is one of the most fragile points in a person’s recovery journey,” she continued. “Too often, people are discharged with paperwork and referrals, but without a real human connection to walk alongside them. The Peer Bridger model changes that.”
Through SummitBRIDGE, trained Peer Bridgers will engage individuals while they are still in hospital or institutional settings, build trust through shared lived experience, and continue providing support as individuals return to the community.
“It’s about making sure no one has to navigate that transition alone,” China added. “This pilot is not just a new program for Summit Recovery Hub, it is a demonstration of what becomes possible when we center peer voice, honor lived experience, and design services around relationships instead of transactions.”
China also credited the leadership infrastructure that made the pilot possible.
“I am deeply grateful to OhioPRO, the Alliance for Rights and Recovery, and my mentor, Taina Martinez-Laing, for believing Ohio was ready for this kind of innovation and for investing in peer leadership to bring it to life.”
OhioPRO’s Executive Leadership Program is designed to build sustainable leadership within Reer Run Organizations and to translate that leadership into measurable system improvements. The SummitBRIDGE pilot stands as a clear example of how intentional investment in peer leadership can lead to new models of care, improved outcomes, and stronger recovery systems across Ohio.
About OhioPRO
Ohio Peer Recovery Organizations (OhioPRO) is the statewide association of peer run organizations working to advance recovery-oriented systems, strengthen peer leadership, and promote person-centered care across Ohio.
Contact:
Megan Conkle
Program Director, OhioPRO
mconkle@ohio-pro.com