MARCO Self Readiness Assessment

The self-assessment is intended to help your organization get ready for the MARCO RCO certification process. It should take approximately 15-30 minutes to complete. Your responses will help you and MARCO identify areas where you might need coaching, mentorship, or other resources before you submit your RCO certification application. The topics addressed in the self-assessment align with Recovery Community Organization criteria defined in Minnesota Statutes 245B.01 Subdivision 8 and 254B.05 Subdivision 1, and National Standards for Recovery Community Organizations.

Your answers to these questions in no way preclude, guarantee, or otherwise influence MARCO certification and are intended only as a guide to help you get ready for your application.

After you submit your self-assessment, MARCO staff will contact you to set up a time to discuss it with you. If you need assistance in completing the self-assessment, feel free to contact us at certification@marcomn.org. Please note the option at the bottom of the page to save and continue later.

Please remember, there are no wrong answers!

Organization Name*

Zip Code*

Organization Email

Organization email, if available

Contact Name*

First NameLast Name

Title/Role*

Email*

Applicant Contact Email

Phone Number*

Contact Preferred Pronouns

Pronouns of person filling out assessment

Website address (if available)

Social Media Links (if available)

RCO CORE STRATEGIES

RCOs are expected to achieve their recovery-oriented missions through one or more of the activities identified in Minnesota Statute 245B.01 Subdivision 8. These activities fall under the three core strategies below.

Does your organization provide programs, services, or activities in any of these areas? Reminder: RCOs use one or more of the strategies listed. If you are only providing services in one area, that is okay!*

	Yes	No	Not Sure
Strategy One: Public education and awareness Educating the general public, policymakers, service providers, and media about the reality of recovery. Raising awareness of social and policy barriers experienced by individuals in or seeking recovery support services.
Strategy Two: Policy advocacy Addressing barriers found in public policies that hinder an individual’s ability to access sustainable recovery through supports and services. Advocating to end punitive measures of people for their status as individuals with histories of addiction. Advocacy efforts can be focussed at all levels - local, state, or federal.
Strategy Three: Peer-based and other recovery support services and activities Providing non-clinical recovery support services throughout the community that are delivered by people with lived experience of substance use issues and recovery. Activities might include but are not limited to telephone recovery support, all recovery meetings and/or multiple pathways to recovery, harm reduction, workshops, resource brokering, and life skills development.

INDEPENDENT NONPROFIT STATUS

Minnesota Statute 245B.01 Subdivision 8 defines "Recovery community organization" as an independent, nonprofit organization led and governed by representatives of local communities of recovery.

What is your organization’s nonprofit status? (Select the one that best describes your organization.)*

The IRS recognizes us as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.The IRS recognizes us as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we have a legal agreement with another nonprofit organization that serves as our fiscal agent.The IRS recognizes us as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and we have a legal agreement with another for-profit organization that serves as our fiscal agent.We do not have nonprofit status, but we have a legal agreement with a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that is our fiscal sponsor.We do not have nonprofit status.

Recovery Community Organizations must demonstrate that they are making decisions, delivering services, and performing other RCO functions with autonomy and independence. They are accountable to the communities they serve and must uphold RCO National Standards.

To the best of your ability, please answer each of the following to help us identify any potential barriers to your organization’s autonomy. Reminder: This is just a tool to identify any potential barriers. Checking “yes” or “no” does not disqualify a potential RCO. We will work with you to examine these relationships and identify areas that might need to be strengthened to ensure the RCO’s autonomy. *

	Yes	No	Not Sure
We have contracts or partnerships with one or more clinical service providers, such as a treatment provider.
We have contracts or partnerships with one or more for-profit organizations.
We have contracts or partnerships with one or more nonprofit organizations.
We receive significant financial support from an individual or organization, and the individual or organization dictates how the funds may be used.
We contract with one or more third parties to deliver services that are core to our nonprofit mission.

GOVERNANCE

Recovery Community Organizations are led and governed by individuals in the recovery community, with over 50% of Board members self-identifying as people in personal recovery from substance use disorders.

Tell us about your Board of Directors. To the best of your ability, please answer each of the following questions: *

	Yes	No	Not Sure
We have a governing Board of Directors in place.
We have at least 3 people on our Board of Directors.
We have two separate individuals who serve as our Board President/Chair and Board Treasurer.
We have Board Bylaws in place.
Our Board Bylaws require more than 50 percent of the board members to self-identify as people in personal recovery from substance use disorders.
At least 50 percent of our current Board of Directors membership is people who self-identify as in personal recovery from substance use disorders.

SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER FOCUS

Recovery Community Organizations have a primary focus on recovery from substance use disorders, with missions and visions that support this primary focus.

Does your organization have a mission statement?*

YesNo

Please provide your mission statement

Are the majority of the programs and services you offer focused on recovery from substance use disorders?*

YesNo

Do you provide other programs or services that are not primarily focused on substance use disorders, such as mental health services, gambling addiction services, or direct housing supportive services?*

YesNo

GRASSROOTS ORGANIZATION

Recovery Community Organizations are grassroots organizations that are reflective of and engaged with the communities they serve.

Does your organization primarily serve a specific community or communities? For example, do you primarily serve a geographic community? A cultural community? A community of shared experience, such as justice involvement or family members affected by substance use disorder? Other communities?*

YesNo

Please describe:

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of the different ways RCOs remain true to their grassroots functions. You might not be doing each of these items at this time, and that’s okay! *

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We recruit board members, staff, and volunteers representative of the communities we serve.
We provide opportunities for community members to volunteer for our organization.
We provide opportunities for community members to help plan and deliver our public programs, events, and activities.
We offer public events that promote broad community engagement in recovery topics or activities (such as Recovery Month events, recovery panel discussions, recovery film screenings, etc.)

Grassroots Continued*

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We offer educational opportunities for the community to develop its knowledge or skills in recovery-related topics, such as overdose prevention, peer recovery specialist training, family recovery support, etc.
We conduct outreach activities (tabling, street outreach, etc.) to engage the communities we serve.
We partner with other community-based organizations to provide recovery support services.
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

ACCOUNTABILITY TO THE RECOVERY COMMUNITY

Recovery Community Organizations are accountable to the recovery community. They do this by establishing transparent organizational processes that deliberately promote the involvement and engagement of, and consultation with, people in recovery and their families, friends, and recovery allies. These processes inform the Recovery Community Organization’s decision-making and priority-setting.

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of the different ways RCOs remain accountable to the recovery community. You might not be doing each of these items at this time, and that’s okay! *

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We convene town hall meetings, listening sessions, or other public events to include community members in our priority setting.
We collect feedback from community members through program surveys, focus groups, or other evaluation tools.
We have a Peer Advisory Council or other Community-Based Committees that review our programs and strategies.
We recruit recovery community members to be volunteers for our organization.

Accountability Continued*

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
Community volunteers participate in our organization’s operations in a variety of ways, such as administrative support, delivery of peer services, or capacity building.
We share our organization’s goals, priorities, and activities on public platforms, such as social media or newsletters.
We regularly revise or add programs and services based on the input of the community.
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

NON-CLINICAL PEER RECOVERY SUPPORT SERVICES

Recovery Community Organizations provide recovery support services that are primarily non-clinical and delivered by peers (people with lived experience of substance use issues and recovery).

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of the different non-clinical peer recovery support services that RCOs offer. You might not be doing each of these items at this time, and that’s okay!*

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We offer 1:1 Peer Recovery Support Services provided by Certified Peer Recovery Specialists.
We offer peer recovery coaching provided by staff/volunteers trained as Peer Recovery Specialists but not certified.
We provide recovery resource navigation to connect people with a variety of recovery support services in our community.
We have a Telephone Recovery Support program (people sign up to get a recovery check-in from a trained recovery coach on a regular basis).
We have a public phone number and/or email for anyone seeking support or resources to contact us.
We have staff/volunteers assigned to answer phone calls or emails from people seeking support or resources.

Non-Clinical Peer Recovery Support Services Continued*

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We provide all recovery meetings and/or a variety of group meetings that support multiple pathways of recovery.
We offer life skills development programs designed for people affected by substance use disorders.
We have internships or volunteer programs that enable community members to strengthen their skills in a recovery-supportive environment.
We offer recovery-supportive social activities to help community members connect and develop recovery-oriented social networks.
We provide educational opportunities for people to develop peer recovery coaching skills.
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

Does your organization provide any clinical programs or services? (For example, treatment, counseling, assessment, diagnosis, therapy, medication management, or other services that require specialized knowledge, training, and licensing in the assessment and treatment of mental health and substance use disorders.)*

YesNo

Are the majority of the programs and services you provide non-clinical?*

YesNo

ALL PATHWAYS TO RECOVERY

Recovery Community Organizations must allow for and support opportunities for all paths toward recovery and refrain from excluding anyone based on their chosen recovery path, which may include but is not limited to harm reduction paths, faith-based paths, and non faith-based paths.

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of the different ways RCOs demonstrate that they support and promote all pathways of recovery. You might not be doing each of these specific examples, and that’s okay! *

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We use language that is inclusive of all pathways of recovery in our digital and print communications.
We use language that specifically welcomes and supports people practicing harm reduction.
We provide recovery support activities that reflect a variety of pathways.
We do not exclude people from our programs or services because of their chosen recovery pathway.
We have policies or procedures in place for referring someone to recovery support services of their choice when we are not able to provide the needed support.
Our staff/volunteers have lived experiences that represent many different pathways of recovery.
We train our staff and/or volunteers to be knowledgeable and supportive of recovery resources for all pathways.
We train our staff and/or volunteers in harm reduction strategies and resources.
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION

Minnesota has some of the highest racial disparities in the nation, especially in its continuum of care for people affected by substance use disorders. Recovery Community Organizations must be purposeful in meeting the diverse needs of underrepresented populations. They must continuously reflect on the intersection of Substance Use Disorders with race, culture, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc., and actively seek to grow, learn, and improve.

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of the different ways RCOs demonstrate that they are purposeful in meeting the needs of diverse racial, cultural, and other communities. You might not be doing each of these specific examples, and that’s okay! *

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
Our organization publicly acknowledges the existence of systemic racism and its impact on Substance Use Disorder and Recovery.
Our organization leads or participates in advocacy efforts to address the needs of underrepresented communities in the continuum of care for people affected by substance use disorders.
We deliberately recruit Board members and staff/volunteers from the diverse communities we serve.
We train our Board members and staff/volunteers in justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion practices to nurture a culture that enables diversity to thrive.
Our programs and services are culturally informed. They address the different perspectives and needs of people with diverse racial and cultural backgrounds.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Continued*

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
Our public spaces (website, office, community rooms, etc.) display images, signage, and other visual representations of inclusion that show that each person is heard, supported, and respected.
We have policies in place to ensure that discrimination based on race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, religious beliefs, disability, etc. is not allowed.
We have procedures in place to ensure our staff, volunteers, and participants feel psychologically and physically safe and comfortable bringing their authentic selves to our organization.
We ensure that our programs and services are accessible for everyone regardless of physical, cultural, or language differences (captioning, wheelchair access, interpreter or translation services, etc.)
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

STIGMA REDUCTION AND RECOVERY FRIENDLY LANGUAGE

Recovery Community Organizations are stewards of recovery-friendly language. They model hope, promote recovery across diverse geographical and cultural contexts, and actively work to reduce stigma in their communities.

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of the different ways RCOs demonstrate that they use recovery-friendly language and work to reduce stigma. You might not be doing each of these specific examples, and that’s okay! *

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We use person-first language, such as “person with a substance use disorder” instead of “alcoholic” or “addict,” in all of our online and print communications.
We provide training and coaching to our Board and staff/volunteers in using recovery-friendly language.
We have an organizational culture that promotes continuous improvement in our staff and/or volunteers’ use of person-centered, recovery-friendly language.
We review our internal and external communications for stigmatizing language and update the materials with recovery-supportive language.
We do not post or share social media content that is stigmatizing or discriminatory.
We share diverse content and resources at our physical site, online, and in our outreach that promotes recovery for everyone.
We review and check resources before sharing them publicly to ensure they are non-stigmatizing and recovery-oriented.
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

ETHICS

Recovery Community Organizations fully embrace recovery values and execute their services with fidelity and integrity. They are accountable to the communities they serve. RCOs must have a recovery-oriented code of ethics and established grievance procedures.

For each statement below, please select the option that best describes your organization’s status. Reminder: These are examples of how a code of ethics and grievance policies are used at Recovery Community Organizations. Your organization may be working on this, and that’s okay! MARCO can help after you complete this self-assessment.*

	Not at this time	Working on it	Yes, but needs work	Strong
We have developed an employee/volunteer code of ethics that reflects recovery values.
We developed our employee/volunteer code of ethics specifically for a Recovery Community Organization. It reflects that we are a peer-led, non-clinical organization.
Our employee/volunteer code of ethics is posted in common, visible areas at our physical site or on our website.
We review our code of ethics with employees/volunteers during onboarding and regularly thereafter.
We have developed grievance procedures for our service recipients, volunteers, and staff.
We ensure that our service recipients, volunteers, and staff are knowledgeable of grievance procedures.
Our grievance procedures are easily accessible and posted in common, visible areas at our physical site or our website.
We document our follow-up when a grievance is submitted.
We are doing other related activities not identified here.

The MARCO application process will require your organization to submit the following documents or links related to your organization. Please check the status that best describes your readiness to submit the required items. Reminder: If your documents are not ready to submit, MARCO will work with you to develop a plan for getting them ready.*

	Ready to submit	In development	Not sure
IRS Letter of Determination of Nonprofit Status
Organization Bylaws
Board Conflict of Interest Policy
Financial Documents (All that are available: board-reviewed financial statement for your most recent accounting period, most recent IRS form 990, more recent Certified Financial Audit form)
Code of Ethics Policy
Grievances Procedure
Additionally, you will be required to provide links to any public presence your organization has online, including your website (if available) and social media platforms

Is there anything else you would like us to know about your organization as part of your self-assessment?

Please verify that you are human*

Thank you!

A member of MARCO Staff will be in touch with you after submitting your self-assessment form about next steps. If you have not already, please review the National Standards for Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs).

MARCO Self Readiness Assessment

Documentation