Our Volunteers
PEER Wellness Center is 95% run by our volunteers.
Many people contribute to the day-to-day operations, facilitate classes, answer the phones, make the coffee, take out the trash, listen, and provide mutual support to those seeking to initiate or maintain their Recovery. Every day, our volunteers prove that the Recovery Community is giving, community minded, valuable, and... Amazing!!!
Peer-Based Recovery Support Services Poster
PEER Wellness
Center Brochure
Recovery
Check-up Flier
Re-entry Support
Services at PEER
Our Staff
Chris Mecham
Director of Center Operations
Chris Mecham joins PEER Wellness with a passion for advocacy and a vision for improving opportunities for people in recovery. A passionate advocate for uncommon good, Chris has been a vocal advocate for everything from public media to overdose awareness.
Chris studied Political Science and Public Policy at Boise State University. His own history as a person with a Substance Use Disorder has given him a keen insight into the struggles faced by those who are afflicted and his love of the State of Idaho inspires him to advocate and lead with compassion and vision. Early in his recovery Chris was an active member of the vibrant recovery blogging community that existed prior to modern social media and the story of recovery was shared in the book "Moments of Clarity" by Christopher Kennedy Lawford.
His work in public media advocacy included organizing the Million Puppet March in Washington D.C., an event the Washington Post called "the friendliest protest to ever come to the National Mall." Chris has prevously served as an At Large Board Member of Supportive Housing and Innovative Partnerships, Inc., House Manager at Phoenix House of Boise.
Chris currently serves as the Idaho State Chapter Chairperson for the Addiction Policy Forum, a national organization that seeks to elevate awareness around addiction and to improve national policy through a comprehensive response that includes prevention, treatment, recovery and criminal justice reform. He is excited to have the opportunity to bring the same energy, positivity and vision to the recovery movement here in Boise.
Chris believes that socks make you feel better. It’s a basic spiritual principle he lives by.
Monica Forbes
PRC, PSS, MA
Monica Forbes is a person in long term recovery and the founder of PEER Wellness Center, Idaho’s first Recovery Community Center located in Boise. Today, she serves as the CEO/Administrator for Recovery United, Inc. which operates five of the nine Idaho Recovery Community Centers.
She holds two degrees, (in Medical Assisting and Social Work) and is a Subject Matter Expert on Recovery Support Services with the Center for Social Innovation. She also serves as a Recovery Coach, Peer Support Specialist, an Idaho Department of Corrections Free2Succeed Mentor, NIDA Addiction Policy Forum Trainer, SMART Recovery Group Facilitator and CRAFT (Community Reinforcement and Family Training) Interventionist.
She is on the Honor Roll as she works towards a Master’s Degree in Psychology with a focus on Addictions and volunteers on several boards and committees in the community. Monica is the recipient of the 2016 Idaho Region IV Advocate for Recovery award. As a two-time Accidental Opiate Overdose survivor, her passion is working with individuals and community stakeholders to affect systemic change and remove barriers to long-term recovery and addressing the opiate crisis.
Monica isn't really a big fan of spiders. Her favorite thing about working at PEER Wellness Center is coffee! ...And the truly beautiful and amazing people that she has the privilege of working with every day.
Contact Monica at: monica@peerwellnesscenter.org
Memberships/Affilitations
Member
Society for Nonprofits is a leading resource for nonprofit professionals and has been helping nonprofit leaders increase their knowledge and grow the capacity of their organizations for more than 30 years.
Community Partners
We can't do it without you.
Would you like to be Community Partner of PEER Wellness Center?
Member
PEER Wellness Center, a recovery community organization that is led and governed by the recovery community, is a proud member of ARCO.
The Idaho Nonprofit Center represents the interests of the 5,500 registered charitable nonprofits in Idaho, including more than 50,000 nonprofit employees, and 425,000 volunteers.
Member
