RSN has been providing services to low-income families, veterans, at-risk-youth, and ex-offenders since 1998 from the same location in the heart of SF's Mission district.
Keywords: Introduction Computer Training, Job Training, Job Readiness, Job Retention, Intensive Case Management
Interview Q&A
How long have you been in business?
We have been providing peer-to-peer support services since 1997 for the past 15 years from our headquarter located at 3012-16th St. #201 in the heart of San Francisco's Mission District. RSN has been a member of the Safe Communities Reentry Council-SCRC since its inception and that council became SF Reentry Council.
What is your primary product or service?
RSN has developed an extensive community based network of CBO resources for medical services, mental health services, dental, and RSN is providing Intensive Case Management and SRO transitional housing coordination for the San Francisco Sheriff Department's No Violence Alliance - NoVA Project, Parole Reentry Court (PRC), Probation Alternative Court(PAC) at 3308 Mission St., 2697 Mission St., 251-9th St, The Drake Hotel, 30 Sycamore St , 68-6th St., 221-7th St and 226-6th St. since November 2008. We have added new housing locations at 3032 - 16th St and 3143 - 16th St.in the Mission District. RSN works with the SF emergency shelter network, residential treatment programs, detoxification centers, and we facilitate support groups for anger management, relapse prevention, life skills, and job readiness. RSN case managers provide peer-to-peer group facilitation and have been serving the Department of Veteran affairs CWT Program as a group facilitator, and the HUD-VASH Program for Veterans since 1999. We had a Welfare-to-Work contract with PIC-SF for; Job Readiness, Job Training, Job Development, Job Placement, Job Retention, Relapse Prevention and Substance Abuse Education, Family focused training services, Former Foster Care Youth case management, Independent Life Skills Program ILSP contractor, and as a service provider to Larkin St. Youth, Intensive Case Management for recovering addicts, Peer-to-Peer Recovery Support Services, and RSN is registered and certified by California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources CAARR Certified clean & sober living housing program.
How did you first become interested in your line of business? (if owner) - What is your background? (If owner or store manager)
Lou Gordon is the founder of Recovery Survival Network (RSN). RSN was formed in 1994, founded in 1996 and started delivering peer-to-peer recovery services from the same location in heart of SF’s Mission District near the corner of 16th & Mission Streets in 1997.
Lou authored a self-help book for recovering addicts “The Recovery Survival Guide”, and from that sprung the agency RSN Peer-to-Peer Recovery Service Program.
Lou has worked as Executive Director of RSN since its inception in 1994. Among the direct client services category for the agency Lou is a peer group facilitator, and Intensive Peer-to-Peer Case Manager for people reentering the community from jails, prison and residential treatment programs. Lou delivers hands on support services to every member of our community. The programs Lou was instrumental in developing over the past 17 years include: The 24/7 Crisis Intervention Hotline 1-888-USE-NONE (1-888-873-6663), Lou has been serving the Department of Veteran affairs CWT Program as a group facilitator, and the HUD-VASH Program for Veterans since 1999, Welfare-to-Work contract with PIC; Job Readiness, Job Training, Job Development, Job Placement, Job Retention, Relapse Prevention and Substance Abuse Education, Family focused training services, Former Foster Care Youth case management, Independent Life Skills Program ILSP contractor, Larkin St. Youth service provider, Intensive Case Management for recovering addicts, Peer-to-Peer Recovery Support Services, California Association of Addiction Recovery Resources CAARR Certified clean & sober living housing program.
A quote from Lou “I wouldn’t trade one day of our struggle at RSN to keep the doors open for all the money in the world, because I know we have helped save a lot of people from self-destruction.”
RSN’s motto since 1997 “A hand up not a hand out”, then we edited our mission statement and simplified it in 1998 to “Helping those who want to help themselves”. Our website is www.rsn2000.org
How do you differentiate yourself from other businesses in your category and area?
We provide a holistic model of peer-to-peer support services combined with intensive case management to the hardest to serve ex-offender populations in SF.
How many locations do you have and do you have plans to expand?
We currently have 10 master leased SRO hotels that we provide clean & sober living from for people reentering the community from jails, prison and residential treatment programs. Our housing program is called Family of Friends Clean & Sober Living Network (FoF)
Provide detailed directions to your location
We are located near all public transportation and our headquarters is across the street from BART.
What type of payments do you accept?
For our housing program self pay clients are responsible for $650.00 per month for an SRO hotel room.
Which areas do you service?
We currently serve San Francisco.
Who owns your company or runs daily operations?
RSN is a 501 (c)(3) founded by Lou Gordon.
What are your hours of operation?
We provide services 24/7 through our hotline 1-888-USE-NONE (888-873-6663). Our offices are open M-F 9-4:43 and then we are available through the hotline and make special arrangements for crisis interventions around the clock.
Contact Recovery Survival Network (RSN):
