Beyond the Bars: Building Recovery Bridges for Opioid and Stimulant Use and Overdose Prevention is a community panel and discussion forum hosted by the Opioid Response Network (ORN) that explores how peer recovery support can be integrated across the criminal justice continuum. The session highlights the roles of forensic and reentry peer support, shares lived experience insights, and promotes strategies to improve prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery outcomes for individuals impacted by substance use and justice involvement.

Funding for this initiative was made possible (in part) by grant no. 1H79TI088037 from SAMHSA. The views expressed in written conference materials or publications and by speakers and moderators do not necessarily reflect the official policies of the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.

Panelist: 

David Wilson is living proof that Jesus Christ still rescues, still restores, and still calls the broken into His purpose. Once bound by addiction, shame, and over thirteen years spent in prison and county jail, David believed he was too far gone for God to reach. Yet even in his darkest moments, the Lord never looked away. Grace was pursuing him long before he ever knew how to pursue Christ. Today, by God’s grace, David serves as a Certified Peer Specialist in Addictive Disease at The Never Alone Clubhouse Addiction Recovery Support Center. He walks beside individuals fighting the same battles he once fought, offering understanding, encouragement, and the deep hope of Christ. David’s support doesn’t come from theory. It comes from lived transformation, from the experience of someone who has been rescued and now chooses daily to lead others toward freedom.He is also the founder and president of Waymakers Motorcycle Ministry, a ministry built on fellowship, service, and the life-changing love of Jesus.

Jennifer Toon is a co-founder and the Executive Director of Lioness Justice Impacted Women’s Alliance. Her involvement with the criminal legal system began at age 15, when she was adjudicated under Texas determinate sentencing laws, leading to 27 years of system involvement. Jennifer has been published in The Texas Observer, The Marshall Project, The Guardian and is also the co-host of On the Rec Yard: Women’s Prison Podcast. As Executive Director, Jennifer draws on her lived experience to elevate the voices of system impacted individuals, with a focus on LGBTQIA+ people, youth, and people with disabilities. She lives in Austin, Texas with her cat Taylor, who embodies the mischievous energy of Taylor Swift.

Jessica Baynes is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS), Certified Recovery Support Specialist (CRSS), grant manager, author, speaker, and advocate dedicated to supporting justice-impacted individuals and families. As Project Manager for Justice-Impacted Families (JIF) at the Northern Illinois Recovery Community Organization (NIRCO), she leads programs focused on mentorship, parenting education, recovery support, case management, and reentry services while fostering partnerships with community stakeholders. Jessica has managed successful grant-funded initiatives and helped secure more than $1.5 million in funding for educational and community programs. She also facilitates Parenting from Behind Bars at the Lake County Jail, helping incarcerated parents strengthen family connections and prepare for reentry. Following her Executive Clemency in 2020 from Governor J.B. Pritzker, Jessica has used her lived experience to inspire change and create opportunities for others. She is the author of Growing Up with a Missing Piece, a guided journal supporting young adults affected by parental incarceration and family separation. Through her advocacy and leadership, Jessica continues to promote recovery, family reunification, and second chances.

Marguerite Taggart, MBA, MHRM, APS, holds dual master’s degrees in business administration and human resource management, along with a bachelor’s degree in psychology and an associate degree in paralegal studies. She is a Certified Peer Recovery Support Specialist who brings 29 years of sustained recovery and lived experience to her work. She also serves as an Adjunct Instructor of Business Administration at Southeast Arkansas Community College, where she teaches entrepreneurship and business courses to incarcerated learners within the Arkansas Department of Corrections, helping expand access to education and empowering students through knowledge, critical thinking, and workforce readiness to create new opportunities. In 2020, she received a full gubernatorial pardon, restoring all her rights and privileges, and today serves as a recovery advocate, educator, and community leader dedicated to empowering others. “My lived experience gives me both compassion and credibility in this work.”