MRCCB incorporated in 2021 and began to offer voluntary registration and certification to Peer Recovery Coaches.
Our Mission
To standardize and promote best practice qualifications for Peer Recovery Coaches in Maine by defining and maintaining the highest standards of professional practice and ethics across volunteer and employment capacities.
Why Register and Get Certified?
Registration and certification is a voluntary process by which individuals trained, practicing, and supervised as peer recovery coaches may receive recognition of demonstrated competency. Its purpose is to establish quality standards, which enable the general public, behavioral health care professionals such as counselors, allied health professionals, health service providers, third party payers, and employers to recognize qualified peer recovery coaches.
Registration is evidence that an individual has received the basic training necessary in a recognized peer recovery coach curriculum, has received training in ethics and agreed to follow ethical guidelines, and if practicing, is receiving supervision by a recognized facilitator.
Certification is evidence that additional standards of knowledge, skill competencies, and experience have been met, as well as a required number of supervised practice hours and continuing education.
The Board closely functions and collaborates with an array of partners and stakeholders including: Portland Recovery Community Center, the Connecticut Certification Board, the Maine Department of Health and Human Services Department of Behavioral Health, Healthy Acadia, AdCare, and the Bangor Area Recovery Network to assure quality peer recovery coach services for those affected by substance use disorders and the social challenges that those in recovery face as they rebuild their lives.
The MRCCB is working to ensure:
- The health and wellness of the people of Maine through the delivery of quality peer recovery coaching services for those affected by substance use.
- The ongoing development and expansion of a competent, professional, culturally diverse and credentialed workforce prepared to address the needs of the people of Maine.
- Peer recovery coach services are delivered by registered and certified individuals.
- Registered and certified peer recovery coaches receive quality supervision.
- The highest ethical standards are followed by all registered and certified peer recovery coaches in Maine.
- Ethical concerns are appropriately addressed and those with ethical complaints have an opportunity to have their concerns reviewed in a prompt manner.
- Excellent training and continued education is available to meet the needs of all peer recovery coaches.
Benefits of Registration and Certification
- Registration and certification identify peer recovery coaches who are meet quality standards in their field.
- Registered and certified peer recovery coaches are recognized by professional affiliations, state, and national legislation.
- Registered and certified peer recovery coaches are provided with the opportunity for peer networking, in addition to involvement and impact through MRCCB sponsored education opportunities.
- Registration and certification increase professionalism in the field.
- Registration and certification provide a strong basis for employment hiring and professional advancement.
Board of Directors
Bryn Kiezulas, Esq.
Board President
Bryn Kiezulas joined the MRCCB as President in November 2020. Bryn graduated from the University of Southern Maine (USM) in 2015 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and earned her law degree from the University of Maine School of Law in 2018.
While in law school, Bryn was a co-founder of the Recovery Oriented Campus Center at USM, Maine’s first collegiate recovery community. Bryn was an active volunteer with Young People in Recovery, a national grassroots advocacy organization, from 2014 through 2019, and has served on the Board of Directors for Maine-based organizations including the Frannie Peabody Center, Crossroads, and Advocates for Children.
Bryn has been in recovery since 2013. She was born and raised in Maine and now lives in Carlisle, Massachusetts with her husband, Andrew, and their dog. She currently practices family law at the Law Office of Cheryl Garrity in Burlington, Massachusetts, and she is also licensed to practice in Maine.
Leslie Clark, MSWW
Vice President
Leslie Clark is a person in long term recovery and serves as Executive Director of Portland Recovery Community Center (PRCC), a nonprofit recovery community organization providing peer support, education, advocacy and resources for people affected by substance use disorder and other addictions.
Leslie has been instrumental in developing and expanding programs to meet emerging or existing unmet community needs, and championing new initiatives, funding, and public policy that supports quality services. Prior to joining PRCC, she served as founding CEO of Greater Portland Health, Portland’s federally qualified health center. Leslie’s past work also includes: President and CEO of Community Counseling Center (now Maine Behavioral Health) in Portland, Vice President at Development Resource Group in New York, New York, Executive Director of Texas Association of Licensed Children’s Services, and Executive Director of the Helping Hand Home for Children, in Austin Texas.
Scott M. Gagnon, MPP, PS-C
Scott Gagnon is a Certified Prevention Specialist, Associate Executive Director of AdCare Educational Institute of Maine, Inc., and Director of SAMHSA’s New England Prevention Technology Transfer Center (PTTC). Scott is a national speaker on a variety of prevention topics, including cannabis policy and prevention, opioid prevention, and prevention workforce development. Scott currently serves as a Co-Chair of the national Technology Transfer Center SBIRT Coordination work group. Scott has previously served as Co-Chair of the Prevention Task Force for the Maine Opiate Collaborative. Scott has also previously served on the SAMHSA, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention National Advisory Council.
Scott’s work has been recognized with awards from multiple organizations, including the Maine Alliance to Prevent Substance Abuse, Healthy Androscoggin, and the Maine Public Health Association. In 2017, Scott was the recipient of the Patrick J. Kennedy Outstanding Advocate Award.
Pat Crowley-Rockwell
Secretary
Pat Crowley-Rockwell is a life-long educator. She has worked in Maine for over 40 years and while retired from direct services is still working within the school community. Her lifelong passion has been supporting educators so that students will have access to the highest quality instruction and caring professionals. In her role as a teacher, mentor, professional developer and educational coach, she has looked at systems of support. She believes these systems are important for the integrity and growth which impact the service provider as well as the recipients.
Currently Pat is an active volunteer peer recovery coach. She believes peer recovery coaches offer a unique service and perspective while they also reap unexpected benefits. Pat lives on an island off the coast of Maine with her family. She is a member of a Social Justice choir and is the music director/organist at her church.
Terri Woodruff
Treasurer
Terri Woodruff is the Co-Director of the Maine Alliance for Recovery Coaching, a program of Healthy Acadia and with support from Maine’s Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services (SAMHS), launched the Maine Alliance for Recovery Coaching (Maine-ARC) in July 2019, to support volunteer-driven, community recovery coaching services throughout Hancock, Piscataquis, Somerset, Waldo and Washington counties.
Terri ensures that Maine-ARC will implement effective, far-reaching volunteer-based peer recovery coaching programs and partners collaborate with health care and treatment centers, jails, drug courts, pre-release sites, social service, and law enforcement agencies, and other community partners that promise to build healthier communities and help people succeed in their recovery journeys.
Terri has been in the prevention field for 20+ years and found her passion with the work she is now doing with recovery. Terri completed the CCAR Recovery Coach Trainer certification and since 2017, has conducted 58 CCAR trainings and has trained a total of 697 people in multiple CCAR training curriculum. She is passionate about bringing people together in conversations and planning to build community health now and long into the future.
Robert Fickett
Robert Fickett is a son, brother, father, and friend in long-term recovery from substance use disorder. Robert’s work at the BARN from a Volunteer to Executive Director has been an expression of his passion for recovery advocacy and peer-based recovery support services. He strongly holds the belief that love is a remedy we can all administer at no cost.
