The Recovery Advocate

Susan began working in recovery in 2004, providing assessment and referral services to substance dependent people seeking publicly funded treatment. Some were court referred, many were not, but everyone needed assistance navigating the maze of requirements in admission policies, funding, modality and necessary support services. It is through this work that Susan developed a greater understanding of the challenges facing families trying to seek treatment services for their incarcerated loved ones.

By 2005, while completing her studies in Alcohol And Drug Abuse Counseling at UCLA, Susan assisted in the development and implementation of the SIOP (Serial Inebriate Outreach Project), a program collaboration between the City of Santa Monica, The Santa Monica Police Department and the CLARE Foundation providing outreach and intervention to individuals arrested and in custody at the Santa Monica jail.

In 2008, Susan returned to UCLA and received certifications as a paralegal and a mediator and began working with parolees re-entering the community with substance abuse and other mental health disorders. Working collaboratively with parole officers and treatment providers, Susan provided extensive case management to parolees in the largest parole region of the state.

In 2011, Susan became a trained Education Based Incarceration facilitator through the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department, facilitating a weekly group "Addiction & Recovery" inside the Century Regional Detention Facility for incarcerated women.

Susan has continued to design curriculum and facilitate recovery related groups for client services at several social service agencies throughout southern California including OPCC/Ocean Park Community Center, CLARE Foundation and Downtown Women’s Center.