Flagler OARS Pam Birtolo Appointed to Floridians for Recovery Board of Directors

Palm Coast, FL – Pam Birtolo, Executive Director of Flagler Open Arms Recovery Services (Flagler OARS) has just been elected to the Board of Directors of Floridians for Recovery, FFR. Floridians for Recovery is the statewide Recovery Community Organization (RCO) and represents all Florida RCOs.

“We are looking forward to having Pam’s perspective and leadership on our board,” commented Susan Nyamora, President of FFR. “We are growing the recovery movement in Florida and our board members are the force that pushes us forward,” Susan added.

Birtolo said, “I am honored and humbled that FFR leadership appointed me. This is a huge moment for Flagler OARS, and I look forward to representing Flagler County and Flagler OARS on a statewide level.”

The mission of FFR is to promote the Florida Recovery movement through existing RCO’s, linking all recovery partners, and encouraging a reduction of obstacles to long-term recovery for individuals and families through statewide and local initiatives.

Flagler OARS is Flagler County’s Recovery Community Organization, a nonprofit grassroots peer-led organization that focuses on substance use disorder, public education, policy advocacy, and peer support. Flagler OARS distributes over 400 boxes of Narcan monthly and provides a variety of recovery support groups. Birtolo speaks to professional groups throughout Flagler to grow the awareness of recovery.

It is estimated there are 1.4 million Floridians who are in recovery from an alcohol or substance use disorder. Across Florida, a new movement has taken place to create recovery friendly communities with the creation of local Recovery Community Organizations.  At present, there are thirty (30) Recovery Community Organizations (RCOs) across Florida.

Pam Birtolo, a longtime Florida educator, was the President of Flagler OARS founding board and then became the Executive Director. Birtolo is known as an education leader, having served as the Chief Academic Officer with Florida Virtual School for 14 years, supervising a staff of 2500 educators and impacting hundreds of thousands of families in Florida and across the world. She also opened the first private online school in Florida.