Education Insights

The core science behind recovery.

Explore in-depth reports on Iowa’s recovery community, featuring:

  • Personal Stories – Real experiences from those in recovery.
  • Expert Insights – Advice from recovery center directors nationwide.
  • Iowa’s Recovery Map – A look at the state’s treatment infrastructure.
  • Key Data & Trends – Who’s entering treatment and why.
  • Support & Prevention – Strategies to help individuals and families prevent relapse.

What makes these reports unique? Every insight, statistic, and story is focused entirely on recovery in Iowa.

A Community-Based Strategy to Advance Substance Use Recovery

Woman Speaking At Support Group Meeting For Mental Health Or Dependency Issues In Community Space

Link to Executive Report

What did we do?
  • The Public Science Collaborative (PSC) analyzed strategic information that would give Iowa the best chance of maximizing recovery.
  • This helped Iowa boost its recovery community and improve substance use recovery efforts.
Key Findings: 
  • The size, strength, and reach of Iowa's recovery resources.
  • Actionable steps from national recovery leaders to guide progress.
Implications for Policy and Practice:
  • To develop a recovery network based off of the recommendations in this report.

A Recovery Community Guide for Public Health

Link to the Report

What did we do? 

The Public Science Collaborative (PSC) studied substance use and recovery in Iowa by:

  • Connecting with RCC directors across the country to learn their best practices.
  • Creating a toolkit with funding, governance, outreach, and resource guides.
  • Creating a strategic plan for Iowa's recovery needs.

Key Findings: 

  • Use recovery-focused words when speaking with the community.
  • Spread the word about recovery in the local community.
  • Invest in RCC staff.
  • Build trust before expanding services.

See the full report for detailed insights.

African American businesswoman talking while being on group therapy at medical center.

What are the implications for policy and practice? 

  • National leaders gave clear and actionable advice about how to establish recovery community centers in Iowa.
  • RCCs come in many varieties and Iowa can support a range of organizational types.

The Recovery Ready Community Index: A Public Health Assessment Tool

Link to the Report 

What did we do? 

The Public Science Collaborative (PSC) did an environmental scan. They aimed to find clinical and non-clinical recovery resources in Iowa. We:

  • Made indexes to measure recovery support in communities.
  • Mapped resources across the state to show gaps and areas with high density.

Key Findings:

  • Developed the Recovery Ready Community Index (RRCI).
  • Identified 30 recovery-ready communities with strong support networks.
  • Found that both small and large towns have significant recovery resources.

Policy & Practice Implications:

Knowing how a community recovers helps target investments. This way, we can fill gaps and improve support programs for recovery.

Close up compassionate young foster parent holding hands of little kid girl, giving psychological help, supporting at home. Sincere different generations family sharing secrets or making peace.

What are the implications for policy and practice? 

  • Knowing which kinds of recovery infrastructure and resources a community has allows for targeted investments to fill gaps and implement targeted programs and interventions. 

"Recovery is not a race. You don’t have to feel guilty if it takes you longer than you thought it would." - Unknown

Translating Research into Action: A Multi-Method Approach for Informing Substance Use Policy and Practice

Link to the Report

What did we do?

  • Conducted 41 ethnographic interviews. They were with substance-using parents in Iowa.
  • Analyzed federal and state substance use data.
  • Facilitated Design Thinking and Data Discovery Workshops to find solutions.

Key Findings: 

  • Substance use often arises from economic issues, loneliness, stigma, and past trauma.
  • Six social and economic markers predict 46% of drug-related deaths in Iowa counties.
  • Children born to families affected by substance use have higher risks from birth.

Policy & Practice Implications:

  • Expand Iowa’s recovery network.
  • Leverage funding from the 2018 Family First Prevention Services Act.
  • Strengthen family-provider connections for better support.
Loving african american foster care parent single mother sister embrace teen daughter giving support and protection, black mom hug teenage girl, family kindness concept, close up view, focus on hands

What are the implications for policy and practice?

  • Developing a recovery network in Iowa.
  • Developing additional resources through recent opportunities presented by the 2018 Family First Prevention Services Act.
  • A need for intensive connections between families and their program providers.