Advocacy Toolkit Press Release

Columbus, Ohio | February 2026 — OhioPRO is proud to announce a new, innovative suite of tools developed with and for Ohio’s peer run organizations. Created in partnership with C4 Innovations, these resources represent a dynamic effort to map, measure, and amplify the impact of peer recovery work.

“These tools are unlike anything currently available in the peer support field,” says Michael Krause, Executive Director of OhioPRO. “They reflect the realities of our field, and the lived expertise of our community. They’re designed to provide practical, actionable guidance that organizations can use immediately. We’re excited to see how peer organizations across Ohio use them to advance leadership, influence policy, and expand impact.”

The new State of Recovery advocacy and technical assistance products include four issue briefs and a set of journey maps that provide actionable guidance for peer-run organizations:

• Ohio Funding and Sustainability Issue Brief– Offers strategies to stabilize and diversify funding and demonstrate return on investment to funders.
• Peer Staff Development Strategies for PROs Issue Brief – Provides a roadmap for recruiting, supporting, and retaining a skilled, healthy peer workforce, strengthening supervision, professional development, and recovery-oriented workplace practices.
• Power of Peer Recovery Organizations Issue Brief – Clearly articulates the unique value and impact of PROs within Ohio’s behavioral health landscape, highlighting their essential role and effectiveness.
• Building Community and Recovery in Ohio Briefs – Offers frameworks and tools to strengthen partnerships, expand recovery-oriented communities, and increase access to support.
• Journey Maps – Illustrate the interconnected journeys of individuals and organizations engaging with peer recovery supports, highlighting key moments, challenges, and decision points, and serving as a planning, teaching, and communication tool. Individual Journey Map 1 | Individual Journey Map 2 | SARCC Journey Map | The Gathering Place Journey Map

“While the findings in these briefs were developed for Ohio, we know that similar opportunities and challenges exist throughout the country,” says Krause. “We feel that these resources will be a catalyst for positive movement and growth.” 

“Peer recovery organizations make recovery possible for many people in Ohio and beyond,” says Kristen Paquette, CEO and President of C4 Innovations. “Together, we partnered to develop these new resources based on collaboration and feedback from PROs, peer leaders, and many more people in recovery. I am excited to see how recovery organizations around the state and country will use them to expand impact.”

These nation-leading resources are designed to be adaptable, offering insight and inspiration for peer recovery organizations beyond Ohio. OhioPRO welcomes the opportunity to support other communities and states exploring ways to strengthen peer leadership, expand recovery supports, and apply these lessons locally.