UC Recovery

06/01/2026

✨Meet Our Certified Peer Recovery Specialists!✨

Meet Christi Allen, Overton County CPRS

Here’s a little Q&A to get to know Christi better!

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from?
A: I’m originally from Estill Springs and currently live in Cookeville.

Q: What was your path to the UC Recovery team?
A: My background is primarily in retail management and healthcare. While working as a geriatric psychiatric technician with Ascension, I developed a passion for mental health and recovery, which ultimately led me to UC Recovery.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this specific role?
A: Helping others has always been important to me. Working in healthcare opened my eyes to the stigma surrounding mental health and addiction, and it motivated me to be part of the solution. Seeing the passion and impact of UC Recovery through someone close to me inspired me to pursue this opportunity.

Q: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you reach this milestone?
A: I’m incredibly grateful to Philip McGourty for introducing me to this opportunity and inspiring me through his dedication to recovery services. I’d also like to thank Pam Sanford and Heather Bowman for believing in me, as well as Renea Stover, Andrea Szewczyk, and Jamie Burnette for their guidance, encouragement, and support throughout my journey.

Q: What is your goal with this chapter?
A: My goal is to continue supporting individuals on their recovery journey by providing encouragement, understanding, and a judgment-free environment where they feel seen, heard, and supported.

Thank you, Christi, for your dedication and hard work. We’re grateful to have you on our team and truly appreciate all you do! 👏💙

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you’re not alone. Our UC Recovery Team is here to help. Call us at (931) 255-2238 or learn more about available resources at https://uchra.org/ucrecovery/

06/01/2026

🌟 CPRS Academy Training Opportunity 🌟

Join us for Understanding Nonprofits: Organization & Leadership – Session I: Foundations of Nonprofit Organizations!

Nonprofit organizations play a vital role in behavioral health, recovery support, and community-based services, especially in rural and underserved communities. This training will provide a practical overview of how nonprofits operate, how they are structured, and why effective leadership and accountability matter.

Participants will learn about:
✅ Nonprofit missions and organizational structure
✅ Boards and leadership teams
✅ Funding basics
✅ Ethics and accountability
✅ The role of nonprofits in recovery-oriented systems of care

📅 Friday, June 26, 2026
⏰ 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
📍 The Center for Addiction Prevention & Support
10 W. Broad St., 3rd Floor (The Regions Building)
Cookeville, TN 38501

🎤 Presenter: Dorian Hines, Middle TN Regional Director, Tennessee Nonprofit Network

This session is open to the general public. Those interested in the CPRS Academy can also earn the Understanding Nonprofits: Organization & Leadership credential by completing this training and two additional one-hour online sessions.

For more information or to register, visit:
https://www.tntech.edu/cahe/hec/caps/additional-trainings.php

06/01/2026

🎙 UC Recovery Podcast

Ryan Henry sits down with Dr. David Reagan from One Tennessee for an important conversation about recovery, prevention, and building stronger communities across Tennessee.

This episode highlights the power of partnership, hope, and the work being done every day to support individuals and families impacted by substance use disorder.

We’re grateful for leaders like Dr. Reagan who continue to advocate for recovery and positive change throughout our region.

🎧 Watch Now:

In this episode of the UC Recovery Podcast, Ryan Henry interviews D...

05/29/2026

Recovery is not a journey meant to be walked alone. ❤️

"After years of addiction, incarceration became the turning point for one participant in November 2020. Upon release in 2023, the restoration process began — filled with challenges, setbacks, and obstacles that often felt overwhelming. One of the biggest barriers was transportation and the financial burden of regaining a driver’s license.

But through determination, support meetings, and leaning on a recovery support system, hope remained alive.

When connected with UC Recovery, everything began to change. With the support of Certified Peer Recovery Specialist Tabitha, fines were paid off, reinstatement fees were covered, and today, this participant is officially a licensed driver and stepping into a brand-new chapter of recovery."

Stories like this remind us why Certified Peer Recovery Specialists are so important. CPRSs help build trust, encourage participants to accept support, and provide the long-term encouragement needed to keep moving forward.

Recovery is possible — and support changes lives. 💙

05/27/2026

Congratulations, Heather! 💙

We are so proud of you and grateful to walk alongside you on your recovery journey. Your strength and commitment inspire us every day.

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you’re not alone. Our UC Recovery Team is here to help. Call us at (931) 255-2238 or learn more about available resources at https://uchra.org/ucrecovery/

05/25/2026

✨Meet Our Certified Peer Recovery Specialists!✨

Meet Anthony White, Smith County CPRS

Here’s a little Q&A to get to know Anthony better!

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from?
A: I have lived in Overton County for most of my life. I enjoy spending time with my family and friends especially if board games are involved. Just basically a big nerd.

Q: What was your path to the UC Recovery team?
A: I worked at Volunteer Behavioral Health as a CPRS for a few years. After a layoff there, I found myself working in a nursing home as a transport driver. I liked that job but I missed my work as a CPRS. When the position became open at UC Recovery I jumped at the chance.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this specific role?
A: I battled a lot of demons through my life, some battles of which are never ending, and I have received a lot of help in those battles. It has definitely inspired me to want to help others battle their demons as well.

Q: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you reach this milestone?
A: If I’m being honest, the list would be very long, and I would be scared that I would miss someone. But those people know who they are because I never let them forget how much they mean to me.

Q: What is your goal with this chapter?
A: I just want to walk along this journey with my clients and help as many of them as I can, however I can, to the best of my ability.

Thank you, Anthony, for your dedication and hard work. We’re grateful to have you on our team and truly appreciate all you do! 👏💙

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you’re not alone. Our UC Recovery Team is here to help. Call us at (931) 255-2238 or learn more about available resources at https://uchra.org/ucrecovery/

05/22/2026

Addiction isn’t always what people expect. It can show up in habits, behaviors, and anything that starts controlling your life. If you’re in that place, you’re not alone — and recovery is always worth the conversation.

05/20/2026

A couple of weeks ago, some of our team had the opportunity to attend the Clay County Recovery Walk at Hermitage Springs Park in Boiling Springs. It was a meaningful day spent supporting recovery and connecting with the community!💜

05/19/2026

05/18/2026

✨Meet Our Certified Peer Recovery Specialists!✨

Meet Alice Simpson, Clay County CPRS

Here’s a little Q&A to get to know Alice better!

Q: Tell us a bit about yourself! Where are you from?
A: I am from London, Kentucky.

Q: What was your path to the UC Recovery team?
A: After years of struggling with addiction and spending time in and out of jail, I eventually entered the Day Reporting Center program. That’s where I met incredible people who helped guide me toward recovery and a better life. A few years later, I completed my CPRS training and returned to the DRC hoping to volunteer and give back what had been given to me. That opportunity eventually led to a job interview. I’ve now been with UC Recovery for almost a month, and I truly believe this is where God has called me to be. I’m incredibly grateful for how far I’ve come.

Q: What inspired you to pursue this specific role?
A: During my recovery journey, having support from people who had experienced similar struggles gave me strength, hope, and encouragement. I wanted to be that same source of support for others.

Q: Is there anyone you’d like to thank for helping you reach this milestone?
A: There have been so many wonderful people who have supported me throughout my recovery journey that it would be impossible to name them all. Most importantly, my faith and surrendering my life to God completely changed my path. I’m also incredibly thankful for my family, who never gave up on me, even when I gave them many reasons to. I truly feel blessed.

Q: What is your goal with this chapter?
A: My goal is to earn my LADAC certification and continue helping others who are facing the same struggles I once did. I want to help people build lives they can be proud of and find lasting peace and happiness.

Thank you, Alice, for your dedication and hard work. We’re grateful to have you on our team and truly appreciate all you do! 👏💙

If you or someone you know is struggling with addiction, you’re not alone. Our UC Recovery Team is here to help. Call us at (931) 255-2238 or learn more about available resources at https://uchra.org/ucrecovery/