Groups Recover Together - Achievement in Growth

Company: Groups Recover Together (Burlington, MA)
Company Description: Groups Recover Together is an outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment provider. It is dedicated to delivering evidence-based addiction treatment proven to help individuals get their lives back on track. Groups provides Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), along with group therapy, individual counseling and care coordination services.
Nomination Category: Achievement Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Achievement in Growth

Nomination Title: Colleen Nicewicz, CEO

Groups Recover Together is a multi-state, outpatient opioid use disorder (OUD) treatment provider. It is dedicated to delivering evidence-based addiction treatment proven to help individuals get their lives back on track. Groups provides Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT), which is considered the gold standard of treatment for OUD, along with group therapy, individual counseling and care coordination services. What differentiates Groups is the belief that long-term recovery from OUD is tied to aspects of life that go beyond the reach of an office visit. An evidence-based curriculum promotes recovery skills, but for most patients, the greatest value they derive from the group is a sense of recognition, shared understanding and accountability. Each week, 89% of members test negative for illicit opioids on average and 73% of members remain in treatment after six months -- three times higher than the national average.

Since taking over as CEO in January of 2020, Colleen Nicewicz has grown the business footprint by 38%, opening 21 new care locations throughout the United States in 2020, with an additional 50 locations on the horizon. Colleen has also led the following initiatives:

-Pivoting Groups’ model to a full virtual program in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In just one week, the company transitioned all members to virtual therapy, and since then, they have seen no degradation in outcomes, or increase in churn. They will continue to offer virtual treatment as a care modality to those who prefer it and members who live far away from brick-and-mortar clinics. As a result of a shift to virtual care, Groups’ membership has grown 45% since the start of the pandemic.

-Moving the company toward a centralized intake process. It will offer those struggling with OUD quicker access to treatment during their moment of need.

-Leading a nationwide clinical team with a curriculum that drives an ongoing patient/member NPS score of 82.

-A $60M series C funding round in 2021 led by Oak HC/FT.

-Colleen contributed to a HLTH-moderated Clubhouse panel on mental + behavioral health in May of 2021

As a result of Colleen’s leadership, Groups has delivered outcomes far exceeding the national average for OUD, and in doing so, has undoubtedly saved thousands of lives. In an industry dominated by a fight over high-income and commercial lives, Groups has focused on serving individuals where the need is highest -- in low-income, Medicaid-insured, and often rural populations. They accomplish that by activating value-based care contracts with payers, which allows them to provide services proven to deliver outcomes and quality, rather than volume. That is why 73% of Groups’ members stay in treatment after six months, which is three times the national average for OUD treatment. Groups signed 71 such value-based care contracts in 2020 alone, covering 25 million total lives.

Lastly, as a result of the pandemic, Groups is serving 100% of its members in a fully virtual model, allowing the company to expand to traditionally underserved geographies and enabling safe treatment during the pandemic. After six months of treatment in a full virtual care model, Groups has seen no degradation in outcomes and members felt as or more supported in virtual treatment. Colleen was the visionary behind those initiatives, which have led to a 56% increase in membership year over year -- all during a time when the pandemic is making it more difficult to access effective treatment. With 8,000 members already spanning 12 states, Groups plans to expand to five additional states by the end of 2021.

Reference any attachments of supporting materials

The “Intro to Groups Groups Recover Together” videoillustrates that being a member of an organization founded in response to the lack of access to treatment for people suffering from opioid use disorder can make a monumental difference in recovery and quality of life as a whole.

The “Cosmic Sigh: Adam’s Story” video depicts the unbelievably moving personal experiences of Adam, a member who struggled with addiction for six years prior to joining Groups. Adam’s story highlights how dedicated Groups is to their members and their journey to recovery.

The “Combating the Rural Opioid Epidemic During a Global Pandemic” white paper showcases Groups’ unwavering commitment to continue serving their members without sacrificing the integrity of their unique business model throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic and the consequent shift to virtual care did not prevent Groups from providing quality value-based care; members had access to rapid intake and 24-hour crisis support, e-prescriptions, HIPAA-compliant virtual weekly group therapy, as well as navigation and peer support.