About

Minnesota Recovery Connection
822 S. 3rd Street, Suite 101
Minneapolis, MN 55415
p. 612.584.4158
f. 612.886.3940
e. info@minnesotarecovery.org

Mission:

Minnesota Recovery Connection (MRC)’s mission is to strengthen the recovery community through peer-to-peer support, public education, and advocacy.

Vision:

MRC envisions a world where recovery from addiction to alcohol and other drugs is understood, promoted, embraced, and enjoyed and where all who seek it have access to the support, care, and resources they need to achieve long-term recovery.

Who We Are:

MRC is a Recovery Community Organization serving the seven county metro area of Minnesota and supporting recovery communities in both St. Cloud and Duluth.

Recovery community organizations (RCOs) are the heart and soul of the recovery movement. In the last ten years, RCOs have proliferated throughout the US. They are demonstrating leadership in their towns, cities and states as well as on the national landscape. They have become major hubs for recovery-focused policy advocacy activities, carrying out recovery-focused community education and outreach programs, and becoming players in systems change initiatives. Many are also providing peer-based recovery support services. RCOs share a recovery vision, authenticity of voice and are independent, serving as a bridge between diverse communities of recovery, the addiction treatment community, governmental agencies, the criminal justice system, the larger network of health and human services providers and systems and the broader recovery support resources of the extended community.

~ Faces & Voices of Recovery

MRC is a member organization of Faces & Voices Association of Recovery Community Organizations (ARCO). ARCO unites and supports the growing network of local, regional and statewide recovery community organizations (RCOs). ARCO links RCOs and their leaders with local and national allies and provides training and technical assistance to groups. ARCO helps build the unified voice of the organized recovery community and fulfill our commitment to supporting the development of new groups and strengthening existing ones.

MRC is proud to be one of five RCOs in the U.S. that is CAPRSS accredited.

MRC is a Recovery Month Planning Partner. The Planning Partners are involved in planning National Recovery Month (Recovery Month) activities in conjunction with the the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

Currently, the Planning Partners are comprised of more than 200 federal, state, and local government entities, as well as nonprofit organizations and associations affiliated with prevention, treatment, and recovery of mental and/or substance use disorders.

julia-alexander

Julia Alexander

Co-Executive Director

julia@minnesotarecovery.org

A woman in long-term recovery, Julia joined MRC when it was officially formed in 2010 and brought with her over twenty years of experience working with nonprofit organizations in multiple capacities. Julia leads the planning, coordinating and implementation of special projects and programs, including MRC’s Recovery Advocacy efforts and MRC’s National Recovery Month observance. She also manages components of MRC’s marketing and communications efforts, including social media and MRC’s monthly newsletter The Link.

After completing her doctorate course work and returning to the recovery field by joining MRC in 2010, Julia quickly became a community leader in Recovery Advocacy. She was a fellow in the Minnesota Council of Nonprofit’s Advocacy Leadership Institute and was chosen by the Obama Administration to participate as a member of the White House Community Leaders Briefing Series, a program of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and is currently participating in the James P. Shannon Leadership Institute.

Since 2010, Ms. Alexander has also been a Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Recovery Month Planning Partner and oversees MRC’s annual events in observance of National Recovery Month, including the Rally (Caps) for Recovery Twins game, the Spirituality Breakfast and the Walk for Recovery.

kris-kelly

Kris Kelly

Co-Executive Director

kris@minnesotarecovery.org

Kris Kelly is the Director of Healthcare and Wellness at Minnesota Recovery Connection (MRC). She created MRC’s healthcare enrollment program that connects individuals seeking health insurance with a Peer Recovery Specialist/Navigator. She participated as an Expert Panelist for BRSS TACS on Recovery and the Affordable Care Act: Accomplishments, Challenges, and Opportunities highlighting MRC’s successful enrollment strategies. Additionally, Kris recruits, trains, and supervises MRC’s Peer Recovery Specialists, both paid and volunteer. She has supervised Peers working in Ramsey County’s withdrawal management facility and is currently working with Hennepin County and Ramsey County Specialty Courts, embedding Peer Recovery Specialists on the court teams to work with ‘Recovery Court’ participants. As a person in long-term recovery, Kris was drawn to integrative wellness, exploring recovery through mindfulness, yoga, and meditation. She completed her coursework with the Meditation Specialist Competency Program in 2010 and obtained her yoga certification in 2013. Before coming to MRC, Kris ran a small business, PieGirl and still finds her true bliss baking pies. Kris has a degree in Human Services and broad experience and knowledge about accessing social services.

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