Michelle Bloss
Recovery Services Administrator
Recovery Innovations of Arizona
Hello! My name is Michelle and I am excited to take a break and share a few moments with you.
My experiences with people became an interest of mine when I graduated from High School and went through the process of deciding how I wanted to spend my life. I originally started my educational journey at age 18, moving from my native land of Phoenix, Arizona to Steubenville, Ohio. At the Franciscan University of Steubenville, I chose to major in Theology and Psychology. My passion was to join the Church and spend my time with children and adoptions.
Typical of most Phoenicians, I experienced my first snowstorm and asked Mom and Dad to send me home! Under my familiar blue sky, I enrolled at Arizona State University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Sociology. Go Sun Devils!!
A few years later, I graduated from the University of Phoenix with a Master of Arts Degree in Education with a Specialization in Counseling.
I joined Recovery Innovations of Arizona (formerly META Services, Inc) in January of 1998. My intention was to obtain experience with people and see where my passion would take me. During my education, my work life focused on supporting children and adolescents in residential and crisis settings. Years of supporting this age group piqued my interest in adult services.
I entered my employment looking for clinical skill enhancement and instead I became part of a thing called Recovery! I describe myself as a “Recovered Staff Member”.
I was hired as a Behavioral Health Technician, direct care, and aspired to become the best “tech” possible. At the same time, our company began the journey of Organizational Recovery. My intention of learning a skill, staying a year in this company, and moving on…. stopped. I suddenly became intrigued about changing a system and serving people the way my conscious knew was right. I wanted to stick around and see how this “Recovery thing” was going to work.
After several years supporting people struggling with substance abuse and challenges related, I felt ready for another challenge. I was given the opportunity to be on the ground floor of an idea called Community Building, as the Recovery Services Administrator. I was fortunate to learn the value of Peer Programs from amazing Recovery Coaches and see the Recovery Pathways contribution to our students’ quality of life by meeting people in one place and experiencing their successes. Shortly after, I became the Recovery Services Administrator for Another Chance, Substance Abuse Program.
A year later, an exciting prospect of creating a recovery environment in a crisis setting arose and I quickly jumped at the opportunity to support the Psychiatric Recovery Center-Central Facility as one of their Recovery Center Managers.
Today, I spend my days as a member of the RIAZ Executive Team, Recovery Services Administrator II supporting the Psychiatric Recovery Center-West as Site Administrator. My transformation interest remains focused on incorporating peer support in a crisis setting and eliminating the use of seclusion and restraint. I hope to see you at one of our upcoming conferences where we continue to challenge the status quo and require people be treated in a no force environment.