BROWNSTOWN — A newly created grassroots organization that will provide a variety of activities to those recovering from substance use in Jackson and Jennings counties recently sought and received financial support from county commissioners.

“We have been working diligently to bring a certified recovery community organization to our community,” Ben Beatty told commissioners during their recent meeting at the courthouse.

“Over the last month, we have conducted over 25 hours of meetings in the evenings and on the weekends for the purposes of creating this organization,” he said.

According to the Indiana Recovery Network, a recovery community organization, also known as an RCO, is an independent, grassroots, nonprofit organization providing a variety of activities available to all community members recovering from substance use, not restricted to individuals enrolled in a specific educational, treatment or residential program.

Beatty said the new 180 RCO leadership board is in the process of preparing articles of incorporation to present to the state and applying for 501(c)(3) status.

The leadership group of 13 people also is opening up the board to the community, he said.

“It is our desire to be a true community-based organization operated training ground by the community for the community, so we will be launching a community invitation campaign to round out our board with different perspectives, wisdoms and skill sets that we believe will help us to be more successful in this endeavor,” Beatty said.

To become certified, there is a requirement that a minimum of 51% of the members be those who have lived with the experience of addiction, he said.

Besides filing articles of incorporation with the state and pursuing 501(c)(3) status, an RCO must have a location and begin providing services and collecting data for a minimum of 60 days.

“In the best case, we’re looking at six to nine months before receiving our certification,” Beatty said.

If the state doesn’t approve certification at first, it will be an additional six months before 180 RCO can reapply, Beatty said.

“We’re preparing for a potential 18-month process to receive certification,” he said.

Certification gives 180 RCO the ability to receive reimbursement from the state for a large portion of the recovery services it will be providing to help pay the salaries, Beatty said.

It also will make the RCO eligible for future state and national grant funding and share costs with other agencies and conduct fundraisers.

“It is our goal to be a fully self-sustainable organization that will not be a burden to the community,” Beatty said.

He said after several town hall meetings and spreading the word in the community about who and what 180 RCO is about, there has not been anyone who thinks the community doesn’t need the program.

“We’re mobilizing the community and will continue,” he said. “We have a lot of work to do in Jennings County, but we need the entire community to get behind this effort so we can get across the finish line.”

Beatty said the proposed budget at this time would allow 180 RCO to secure an office in the Community Agency Building on North Chestnut Street in downtown Seymour.

“We hope to hire a couple of staff members and have regular business hours of Monday through Friday where we can provide services to the community and begin collecting data,” he said.

At the end of Beatty’s report, commissioners voted 3-0 to approve $138,170 in opioid settlement funds to act as an 18-month bridge to RCO certification.

Beatty told The Tribune on Thursday it was the leadership group’s goal to have the program up and running by the first of the year, although there’s no certainty that might happen.

He said the grassroots aspect of the RCO is important because it involves people who have lived experience when it comes to helping others recover from substance use.

Beatty said there is a special connection between a person who has lived through addiction and a person suffering from it now.

“It just breaks down walls right away and builds trust,” he said. “I have been through it myself. I have gotten a lot of good out of a therapist, somebody who has gone to school and had not lived through addiction themselves. There’s just something a little extra that’s there when a person has lived through it.”

Anyone interested in participating by helping the leadership group or spreading the word about the program or who would like information may send an email to [email protected].