Marianne Long
Recovery Services Administrator
Recovery Innovations of Arizona
I moved from California (where I grew-up and received my college degree) to Upstate New York and then to Arizona in 1984. I had two small daughters and was enjoying my time with them at home. As my girls grew older, I decided to venture back into the business world and in 1990 I accepted a position as a Case Manager with COMCARE. A year later, I became a Team Leader. A small group of us in ComCare developed the first Consumer Case Management Team in Arizona. I became active in (what was then called) the Consumer Community. I loved my job and I felt there couldn't be anything better than working with the people and trying to affect change for participants in the mental health services.
However, in 1998, Gene Johnson called and asked to see me. After just 15 minutes of conversation, I knew Gene was a man with a vision for improving mental health services.and I definitely wanted to work on his team. Gene hired me the same day and that was the beginning of my journey with META Services, now called Recovery Innnovations. We brought Recovery Services (including Peer Services) to Maricopa County. I have worked with the company for eleven years now, and I have been able to experience different phases of Recovery Innovation's growth.
It was my pleasure to be part of the development team who designed and implemented the "Living Room" which is Peer run and part of the Psychiatric Recovery Center in the West Valley. I have experienced other programs as well and I now have the wonderful opportunity of working in Peer Support Services as a Recovery Services Administrator. I can't think of anything better - until the next step I take with Recovery Innovations.