THE TRUTH ABOUT THE RICHMOND RECOVERY INDUSTRY
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The Truth About Recovery Community Organizations in RVA: A Call for Accountability, Equity, and Respect
If you’ve spent time exploring the content at Investigate-RVA.gov, then you know the importance of questioning institutions, examining power dynamics, and calling out systemic failure. That’s why we’re inviting you to apply that same scrutiny and intellectual honesty to the treatment of Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) in Richmond—and across Virginia.
Disinformation Hurts More Than Institutions—It Hurts Communities
Disinformation isn’t always loud or obvious. Sometimes, it spreads quietly, through selective narratives, partial truths, or the amplification of a few disgruntled voices. These tactics—used in political smear campaigns and now, unfortunately, in the conversation about RCOs—can mislead the public and undermine institutions doing life-saving work.
Let’s be clear: RCOs are not billion-dollar conglomerates. They are grassroots, community-based organizations created by and for people in recovery. We are neighbors, not executives. We show up in real time for real people. We know the names of those we’ve lost. We carry the grief—and the hope—with us every day.
The McShin Model and the Ripple Effect
The McShin Foundation didn’t just create a recovery center—they sparked a movement. From a church basement, they planted the seeds of what would become an ecosystem of purpose-driven providers. Many of the RCOs in Virginia today trace their roots back to McShin’s vision, built by individuals who risked everything to offer others a second chance at life.
What unites these leaders? They didn’t start RCOs to get rich. They started them because they couldn’t turn away.
Local Recovery Providers Are Embedded in the Community
Unlike massive treatment corporations headquartered states away, RCOs are on the frontlines in Richmond. We attend the same meetings, shop at the same stores, and respond to crises at 2:00 AM when a mother calls because her child is at risk. We are woven into the fabric of RVA. That’s why it’s painful—and harmful—when we are scapegoated or excluded from policy conversations.
Despite being the go-to solution for criminal justice referrals, we are rarely invited to the table. Not one Commonwealth’s Attorney. Not one judge. Not one CSB leader has meaningfully engaged with local RCOs to understand how we operate or what we need to succeed. If that doesn’t concern you, it should.
Recovery Homes Strengthen the Local Economy
Recovery homes don’t just save lives—they save communities:
- They create jobs.
- They reduce crime and healthcare costs.
- They foster reintegration and increase economic productivity.
- They stabilize neighborhoods and boost property values.
Recovery is not a charity case—it’s a community investment.
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice Must Include Us
You cannot talk about justice while ignoring the very people on the frontlines of the addiction crisis. Most public roundtables and working groups are filled with government officials and system insiders. The actual boots-on-the-ground providers are often left out. This is not inclusion—it’s performative politics.
Cassie Godsey’s tragic death has been exploited by opportunists to vilify recovery homes without understanding the realities we face. Let’s ask honest questions: Why was there no Narcan in her home? Why wasn’t the justice system prepared to medically support her release? Why are RCOs blamed for systemic gaps we didn’t create—but are expected to fill?
What Recovery Is—and What It Is Not
Recovery is not a 30-day fix. It’s not linear. And it’s not well understood by many families, politicians, or even professionals in the system. Most individuals need multiple treatment episodes before change takes root. This is not failure—it’s part of the process. But when people don’t understand that, they mislabel effort as ineffectiveness.
Bad actors exist in every system—including government. But one person’s negative experience should not erase the truth of thousands of transformed lives. Let’s not cherry-pick complaints to fuel outrage. Let’s seek truth—not clicks.
RCOs Are Not the Problem. They Are the Bridge.
When jails, hospitals, and courts need a discharge plan, they call us. When there’s nowhere else to send someone in crisis, they send them to us. But when the headlines turn sour, we’re suddenly the villains? That’s disingenuous—and dangerous.
If you’ve read Investigate-RVA because you believe in justice, accountability, and truth, then don’t stop short. Come see what RCOs actually do. Ask the hard questions—but ask us.
We’ve been waiting to be heard.
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