Bridging the Gap: How SRDRC Transformed Substance Use Disorder Treatment in Rural West Virginia

The SUD crisis is especially profound in West Virginia’s rural areas, like the four counties served by the Southwestern Regional Day Report Center (SRDRC), which provides SUD outpatient treatment to individuals involved with the justice system. The combination of the SUD crisis along with the remote area, stigma, and a lack of local resources prompted SRDRC to seek solutions to support its clients in recovery.

In 2020, SRDRC launched CHESS Health’s evidence-based eRecovery solution, which includes the Connections app. Downloaded to their clients’ phones, the app provides a 24/7 connection to a community of peers, crisis response, educational resources, daily check-ins, virtual support meetings, and other critical features.

Offering the Connections app has allowed SRDRC to address multiple challenges and achieve positive results. Clients with few options for in-person support meetings can attend virtually through the app, allowing them to meet the court’s requirements, and participation is tracked for accurate reporting. Isolation and its devastating effects are minimized, as individuals using the Connections app can receive 24/7 support from the community and the team of peer support specialists who moderate the forums and respond to crisis calls. 

In addition, clients using the app are reporting their own successes. Nearly 85% report feeling extremely confident in their progress toward recovery goals, and 97% report not being affected by cravings to drink alcohol or use drugs.

Based on the strong results realized with Connections, SRDRC added CHESS Health’s ePrevention solution to its digital toolkit in 2025, offering automated screening, digital interventions, and referrals to treatment through its Quick Response Teams. 

Read the full case study to learn how these digital recovery support tools are transforming SUD care for SRDRC in rural West Virginia.