The Zone provides a safe place for all people to seek, maintain, and enjoy long-term recovery free from Substance Use Disorder. The Zone opened its doors to the community in 2016, and is Cobb County’s only Recovery Support Organization. The main focus of The Zone is to help individuals in recovery stay in recovery by facilitating peer connections in a supportive environment. The Zone currently offers Recovery Coaching to all participants, in which participants are linked with community resources to support them in their Recovery. Onsite, The Zone offers free services to all who enter, including a complete gym, kitchen, recreation area, art room, music room, recovery support meeting room, and computer lab.

This project focuses on the continuation and expansion of the Zoned 4 Re-Entry Certification Program, an innovative partnership with the District Attorney’s office of Cobb County, Georgia. The DDF Zoned 4 Re-Entry Certification Program partners with local rehabilitative programs to provide evidence-based services that will assist individuals whose substance use disorders have kept them from living their best lives possible. The program focuses on comprehensive support for individuals recently released from a correctional institution, so that they may develop the necessary skills to not only become functioning members of society, but also maintain their personal recovery. The program relies heavily on peer support, providing these individuals with evidence that recovery from substance use disorder is real and possible. The program participants will work alongside peers in recovery as well as recovery allies, friends and/or family members of individuals with substance use disorders. Through the partnership with the District Attorney’s office of Cobb County, individuals with non-violent drug/alcohol related offenses with substance use disorders who have agreed to participate in Cobb County Drug Court, DUI Court, or Veteran’s Court are eligible to apply for the Zoned 4 Re-entry Certification Program. The Zoned 4 Re-Entry Program is also open to a select few sober living and treatment facilities with similar levels of accountability. Interns work at The Zone and will be paid 20 hours per week Monday through Friday, five hours per day. In addition, interns are required to complete five hours of unpaid community service work per week at The Zone. Interns are required to participate in weekly one-on-one recovery coaching sessions with a Certified Recovery Coach. Each week, interns will learn critical skills for health, wellness and self-care. The Zone staff and/or certified facilitators provide programs including exercise, yoga, nutrition, purchasing and cooking meals, planning on a budget, and tobacco cessation. Communication, conflict resolution, coping skills, addiction education, relapse prevention, and healthy relationship building will be emphasized throughout the Program during experiential learning groups with Certified Experiential Specialists. Education on financial management, time management and organizational skills will be provided weekly. Job readiness skills training is provided by partner, Atlanta Crossroads. Each Friday, interns gain valuable work experience as they complete their unpaid community service work. Interns gain job skills as they serve in one of the programs at The Zone including the coffee shop and thrift shop. Emphasis is on the development of marketable job skill such as work etiquette, inventory, ordering, customer service, Point of Sale System training, communication, and conflict resolution among other things. The Zoned 4 Re-Entry Program is provided to 32 interns per year. This Program is 12 weeks long. Success is measured by pre and post-program questionnaires, a 90% attendance rate, active participation, assessments and follow up interviews at 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year from the start of the program. An annual report is provided to show results and success rates.

1. The adolescents will be present at The Zone once a week, for as long as they remain at The Hartman Center, to develop leadership skills in the areas of self-worth, conflict resolution, addiction, recovery, relapse prevention, and communication skills. The participants will actively engage in all activities led by Internationally Certified Experiential Specialists for 1 hour each week in experiential learning groups. Each participant will take a pre and post-test. Success will be measured by gains realized by the post-test. 2. The learner will gain knowledge regarding the science of addiction as provided in a PowerPoint presentation created by The Davis Direction Foundation. Each participant will take a pre and post-test. Success will be measured by gains realized by the post-test. 3. Harm Reduction - Naloxone Training, Extensive Resource List, Shared Experience from People in Recovery.

Students will learn what medicine is, what medicine looks like, and why medicine should be taken. Students will learn where medicine should be kept and who should give them medicine. Students will learn about substance use disorder and recovery. Students will learn the guidelines for taking medicine safely. This curriculum is taught over the course of six weeks and is measured by pre and post-tests.

Students will learn about the science of addiction and different classifications of drugs. Students will learn about statistics and how drugs are usually introduced to middle schoolers. Students will learn about illicit drugs and their consequences: legally, morally, physically, and emotionally. Students will learn how to get help if a family member is an active user. Students will learn the difference between being drug dependent and being drug addicted. This curriculum is taught over the course of six weeks and is measured by pre and post-tests.

Students will learn the science of addiction: local, state, and national statistics regarding drug addiction. Students will learn about how to get help and treatment options: detox, rehab, accountability courts, intensive outpatient programs, aftercare, and sober living. Students will learn how to get help if a family member is an active user. Students will listen to guest speakers share their stories of tragedy and triumph though addiction and recovery. Students will be educated on stigma surrounding substance use disorder. This curriculum is taught over the course of six weeks and is measured by pre and post-tests.