People Advocating Recovery (PAR) was founded as Kentucky’s statewide recovery community organization in 2002, gaining non-profit status in 2006.

PARFollowing a Recovery Ambassador advocacy training, conducted by the Johnson Institute, the group formed PAR to bring forward an advocacy and public awareness focus. While relatively few new state dollars had been budgeted in the past 20 years, addiction problems were calling attention to the need for more treatment and recovery options.
Historically, PAR’s legislative advocacy agenda has included increasing funding for indigent treatment, restoration of voting rights to justice- involved persons, seeking increased placement of people in recovery on state policy advisory boards, and working for diversion programs. PAR has developed effective partnerships with other advocacy groups, such as Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, the Catholic Conference of Bishops and the League of Women Voters. PAR’s partnership with the Restoration of Voting Rights Coalition (ROVRC), housed at Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, has fostered a fruitful collaboration.

In June of 2022, PAR’s founding member and Chief Executive Officer, Mike Barry retired after an incredibly successful 16 year administration. Mike was the center of the recovery advocacy movement in Kentucky, and PAR was born from his leadership and dedication to helping more people gain access to treatment and recovery. Although Mike has retired, he has refocused his energy to leading the board of directors for PAR as the Board President.

In July of 2022, Tara Moseley Hyde assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer. Tara, who had been a longtime supporter and member of People Advocating Recovery. She came from a nationally recognized organization and partner, Young People in Recovery as Vice President- Programs. PAR continues to support the development of new non/for- profits organizations, agencies, and paradigms entering the community that wish to help create more opportunities for those in or seeking recovery have more resources. PAR has a robust training and technical assistance program that drives implementation of new innovative practices to be more tangible to communities that were not able to access them before.