For a young organization, an invitation like this is a big deal. In late August, Nate’s Place was invited to present a workshop on Peer Recovery at the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) annual Substance Use Disorder Conference in Long Beach. We shared our youth peer recovery model with providers and leaders from across the state.
Co-Founder and Executive Director Heidi Allison, LCSW, presented “Lived Experience in Practice: A Youth Peer Recovery Model.” She was joined by Nate’s Place Peer Recovery Coaches Shannon Kay, Molly Gurrola and Victor Gonzalez for a powerful panel discussion. The coaches spoke about their own journeys with honesty, wisdom and courage. They showed why lived experience and authentic connection matter so much when supporting young people. When a teen who is struggling sits across from someone who has been there, the conversation changes.
That belief is at the heart of who we are. Nate’s Place exists because of Nate Rhoades, who died in 2022 at age 21. In his early teens Nate had his own struggles with mental health and substance use. His family and community came together and built Nate’s Place so the next young person would have somewhere to turn before it was too late. Nate’s Place is a welcoming clubhouse, not a clinic, where young people ages 13 to 26 find free support from peers who understand.
The presentation closed with a moment no one in the room will forget. Kainoa, one of Nate’s closest friends, performed “Nate’s World,” the song he wrote about Nate. When the last note faded, the audience rose for a standing ovation.
We are grateful to DHCS for the chance to share our work and to elevate the voices of those with lived experience.
â–¶ Watch the presentation: https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1DyULXrxUf/
Help the Next Young Person Find Their Way
This fall, Nate’s Place opened its new home in Oxnard and breaks ground on a 20-bed Peer Respite Center for youth. Your gift will help our peer coaches meet more young people where they are, free of charge, for as long as they need us.