About
MARCO is a statewide Recovery Community Organization (RCO) working to build an ecosystem of recovery. We believe that long-term system change starts in our communities and that RCOs are essential partners in building a recovery-oriented society.
MARCO does this through:
Mentorship and Professional Development:
Through collaboration with its members and partners, MARCO mentors and supports emerging, new and established organizations to promote the growth, sustainability, and fidelity of RCOs throughout Minnesota.
Public Education:
Through public events and educational programs, MARCO raises awareness about substance use disorders and substance use issues and promotes a recovery-oriented system of care.
Advocacy:
MARCO educates policymakers on substance use and recovery issues and promotes the fidelity of the community-based RCO model across the continuum of care. MARCO represents the interests of RCOs by participating in state policy discussions, advisory boards, commissions, and other forums.
History
Recognizing that Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) are stronger when we collaborate and lift each other up, leaders from the handful of RCOs in Minnesota in 2018 come together as a Community of Practice to share knowledge and resources through monthly conference calls. As the development of RCOs in Minnesota grew, eight RCOs began working together to form a new organization that could advocate with one voice on behalf of Minnesota’s diverse grassroots RCOs and the communities they serve.
This coalition of RCOs registered the Minnesota Alliance of Recovery Community Organizations (MARCO) with the Secretary of State in late 2019. Through a competitive RFP process, the Minnesota Department of Human Services Behavioral Health Division awarded MARCO (under the fiscal sponsorship of Minnesota Recovery Connection) funding in 2022 to establish a statewide RCO; provide mentorship and technical assistance for emerging and established RCOs; develop an RCO credentialing process; and implement other educational activities to advance recovery in our communities.
