SWOT Analysis 1

A SWOT Analysis of Recovery for Life

Shawntell L. Miles

Wilmington University
SWOT Analysis 2

Abstract

Strategic management plays an essential role in helping businesses thrive in competitive markets.

Strategic management is an action-oriented process, which enables organizations to assess and

analyze their internal and external business environment, in order to meet their goals and

objectives and maintain long-term success. The SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool that

helps organizations identify their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. In this paper,

A SWOT analysis was conducted on the nonprofit organization, Recovery for Life, to examine

the internal and external factors that impact their organization.

A SWOT Analysis of Recovery for Life

A SWOT analysis provides an analytical framework for organizations to identify the

internal and external factors that might impact their business’s performance. An organization’s

internal factors are strengths and weaknesses, and the external factors are opportunities and

threats. A SWOT analysis also “aids decision-makers by analyzing key aspects of their

organizational environment to help formulate competitive strategies” (Rouse, 2019, para. 5).

This allows companies to assess their resources, plan and strategize for challenges, and improve

their business operations, to compete in the marketplace. A SWOT analysis is “an integral part

of a company's strategic planning process because it provides a good all-around view of the

company's current and forward-looking situation” (Kokemuller, 2019, para. 1).

Overview of Program

Recovery for Life is a faith-based nonprofit organization, that specializes in treating adult

women and men struggling with addictions and substance abuse disorders. Recovery for Life

offers comprehensive services and programs, and a continuum of care that includes substance

abuse treatment, education and counseling, a relapse prevention program, and an after-care

program. Recovery for Life also offers a transitional living program that provides a nurturing,

healthy, supportive and structured living environment for criminal justice involved men and

women. In addition, the organization offers support groups that provide a safe and confidential

setting for individuals to share their personal experiences and develop supportive relationships.

The support groups deal with topics of drug and alcohol usage, codependency, anger and sexual

addictions. Recovery for Life is in Virginia Beach, VA, and has been serving residents of the

Tidewater Region for approximately 20 years.

A SWOT analysis was conducted on the organization, Recovery for Life, to assess their

internal strengths and weaknesses, and external opportunities and threats.

Internal Factors: Strengths and Weaknesses

The internal business environment of an organization “comprises of factors within the

company which impact the success and approach of operations. Unlike the external environment,

the company has control over these factors” (Abukhames, 2015, para. 3). Internal factors of an

organization consist of their “value system, mission and objectives, organizational structure,

corporate culture and style of functioning of top management, quality of human resources,

organizational efficiency, physical resources and technological capabilities” (Mukher, 2019,

para. 1).

Strengths

The first internal factor being analyzed for Recovery for Life is the company’s strengths.

Strengths describe “what an organization excels at and what separates it from the competition”

(Grant, 2017, para. 7). A key strength of Recovery for Life is their dedicated and knowledgeable

staff. Dr. Paul Hardy, the Founder/Director of Recovery for Life, is a Board-Certified Pastoral

Counselor and a Certified Addictions Counselor. Dr. Paul Hardy has over twenty years of

experience and is an expert in his field. Dr. Hardy has written several books to help individuals

and families cope with the cycle of addiction. Recovery for Life’s staff consist of a certified

substance abuse counselor and peer support specialists, all of whom have over ten years of

experience. Dr. Hardy and his staff utilizes various clinical approaches that includes, the 12-Step

Model for Recovery, Motivational Therapy, and Cognitive Restructuring, which are regarded as

being Evidence-Based Practices (EBP). The staff of Recovery for Life are also well-regarded and
SWOT Analysis 5

respected by court personnel, and staff from other businesses and community-based

organizations in Hampton Roads.

Recovery for Life is an affordable substance abuse treatment program that provides

quality client care to individuals struggling with drug and alcohol addictions. This is another

strength of the organization. Approximately 80% of the client base of Recovery for Life are

court-mandated to complete a substance abuse treatment program. According to data provided

by the Addiction Center (2019), the estimated cost for a 90-day outpatient treatment program

ranges from $3000 - $10,000, depending upon how often the client attends the program each

week (para. 4). A 30-day inpatient treatment program can cost residents $6,000 - $20,000

(Addiction Center, 2019, para. 4). The cost of treatment and legal fees often poses a financial

burden for many court-mandated individuals seeking substance abuse treatment.

Clients in the Recovery for Life Program receive an assessment prior to participating in

the outpatient treatment program. The number of group meetings are determined by their

individual assessments, which range from 12 – 24 weeks. The average cost of each group

meeting is $35. Therefore, clients are paying between $420 - $840 for treatment, which is

significantly lower than most programs. The transitional living program is also $950 per month,

which is more affordable for individuals seeking treatment in an inpatient setting.

Technology has become an integral part of business operations. The use of technology

has helped Recovery for Life practice more efficiently and serve their clients more effectively,

which is an additional strength of the organization. Recovery for Life utilizes technology tools

such as case management software, optical charge recognition software, mobile and web

applications, cloud computing, iPhones, iPads, laptop computers with retrieval and presentation

software, and social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram. These technology tools have
SWOT Analysis 6

allowed Recovery for Life to share content, stories, and information on fundraising events, to

their clients, donors, volunteers and advocates within the community.

Weaknesses

The second internal factor being analyzed are the weaknesses that exist at Recovery for

Life. Weaknesses refer to the internal factors which may be deemed unfavorable or lacking

within an organization. A company’s weaknesses might consist of a weak brand reputation, poor

online presence, outdated technology, inadequate human resources or lack of revenue to sustain

operations (Grant, 2019, para. 7). Weaknesses prevent organizations from “performing at its

optimum level” (Grant, 2019, para. 7).

Although Recovery for Life has dedicated and knowledgeable staff, insufficient staffing

is a weakness of the organization. Dr. Hardy stated, “our organization definitely needs to hire

more employees” (personal communication, April 24, 2019). Recovery for Life is currently

operating with four employees, which consists of three full-time employees and one part-time

employee. Each employee must serve multiple roles and duties to execute the mission of the

organization. Understaffing issues in the workplace can led to low work quality, decrease

productivity, low employee morale, employee exhaustion, high turnover rates, and your

organization is at a competitive disadvantage (Balle, 2019, para. 3 – 7).

Dr. Paul Hardy, Founder/Director of Recovery for Life, is responsible for the overall

administration and management of the organization, which includes strategic planning and

implementation, hiring and supervising staff and volunteers, developing annual budgets,

fundraising, reporting and working closely with the board of directors and establishing and

maintaining relationships with various organizations. Dr. Hardy is also responsible for

administering substance abuse screenings and assessments to clients entering the program.
SWOT Analysis 7

Dr. Hardy is invaluable to the organization, yet Recovery for Life does not have a succession

plan in place, which is another weakness of the organization. Succession planning is “the

process of identifying and developing new leaders to succeed the current executive director or

CEO” (Price, 2017, para. 2). Succession planning is important because organizations must be

prepared to fill positions created by unexpected departures or retirement. A change in leadership

affects all facets of an organization. Therefore, succession planning is imperative to nonprofit

organizations to maintain sustainability.

Another weakness citied by Dr. Hardy is lack of funding for the organization (personal

communication, April 23, 2019). Recovery for Life, like many nonprofit organizations, rely on

government and foundation grants, and public and private sectors for funding. This past April,

Recovery for Life hosted their first of two-yearly fundraising galas. The organization was

hoping to raise $50,000 from the event, but only raised half of that amount. Dr. Hardy stated,

“donor participation has been down this year, and some of are major donors were not present at

the event” (personal communication, April 23, 2019). Recovery for Life is also competing for

grant funding with other nonprofit organizations, which can have an impact on one of their

revenue streams.

External Factors: Opportunities and Threats

External factors are uncontrollable factors that can influence an organization’s

performance. External factors examine opportunities and threats that exist in the environment.

These factors include economic conditions, changes in legislations, competition, consumer

spending, and technological developments.

Opportunities

Opportunities “refer to favorable external factors that could give an organization a

competitive advantage” (Grant, 2019, para. 7). According to Dr. Hardy, Recovery for Life is

developing closer ties with local probation offices, which presents an opportunity for the

organization (personal communication, April 24, 2019). Probation officers utilize a specific list

of treatment providers within the community. By developing a working relationship with

Recovery for Life, probation officers will be more inclined to refer their clients to the

organization for treatment.

Recovery for Life has created a corporate partnership with a major real estate company in

Virginia Beach, which is also another opportunity for the organization (P. Hardy, personal

communication, April 24, 2019). By formulating a relationship with a reputable corporation,

Recovery for Life can receive financial support, increase visibility and brand awareness, further

their goals and acquire new supporters and donors. Dr. Hardy stated, “they have helped us locate

a building in Chesapeake, where we are hoping to expand our organization.”

The last opportunity discussed by Dr. Hardy is “the expansion of our program in public

schools.” Dr. Hardy has been meeting with several school officials throughout Hampton Roads,

to discuss the implementation of a school-based drug and alcohol prevention program. School-

based programs have been shown to be “an efficacious and cost-effective method of reducing

substance use disorders among youth” (Rigg & Menendez, 218, p. 586). School-based drug and

alcohol prevention programs should effectively teach students how to resist peer pressure, be

culturally and developmentally appropriate for students, build personal and social skills, and

include family involvement (Rigg & Menendez, 218, p. 586). Dr. Hardy is in the process of
SWOT Analysis 9

completing a book tailored for young people battling drug and alcohol usage, which he hopes to

use as a guide for public school students.

Threats

Threats “refer to factors that have the potential to harm an organization” (Grant, 2019,

para. 7). According to Dr. Hardy, a threat impacting Recovery for Life is the “the need for major

donors” (personal communication, April 24, 2019). Nonprofit organizations, such as Recovery

for Life, rely heavily on donors for funding and support. Therefore, a strong major donor base is

critical to the success of the organization. Dr. Hardy stated, “it’s difficult to find people who

want to support drug addicts. Sometimes society views drug addicts negatively” (personal

communication, April 24, 2019). Results of a study conducted by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg

School of Public Health (2014) found that “people are significantly more likely to have negative

attitudes toward those suffering from drug addiction than those with mental illness, and don’t

support insurance, housing, and employment policies that benefit those dependent on drugs”

(para. 1). The stigma associated with drug use can deter some major donors from financially

supporting drug treatment programs, such as Recovery for Life.

An additional threat reported by Dr. Hardy is “drug and alcohol use among our young

people” (personal communication, April 24, 2019). Drug and alcohol use remain a significant

problem in our society. However, drug use among our youth is particularly damaging because it

affects their physical, emotional and mental development. According to the American Academy

of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (2018), “the average age of first marijuana use is 14, and

alcohol use can start before age 12” (para. 3). Also, “nine out of 10 people who abuse or are

addicted to nicotine, alcohol or other drugs began using these substances before they were 18;

and people who began using addictive substances before age 15, are nearly 7 times likelier to
SWOT Analysis 10

develop a substance problem than those who delay first use until age 21 or older.” (Center on

Addiction, 2017, para. 1). Dr. Hardy explained, “we are trying to develop programs to reach our

young people because prevention is the key” (personal communication, April 24, 2019).

The last external threat impacting Recovery for Life is the opioid epidemic. The opioid

epidemic is a major public health concern in Virginia. In 2017, the Virginia Department of

Health reported the following statistics associated with opioid use. There were 1,445 opioid

related deaths, 10,164 admissions into the emergency department to treat heroin and opioid

overdoses, 4,533 EMS Narcam administrations, 2,141 new cases of Hepatitis C and 894 new

cases of HIV in Virginia (Virginia Department of Health, 2019, para. 1). In the city of Virginia

Beach, “from 2015 to 2016, opioid overdoses increased by more than 150 percent and the

number of deaths nearly doubled” (City of Virginia Beach, 2017, para. 1). The widespread use

of opioids has devasted many families and communities, and has burdened our judicial system

due to a surge in drug-related arrests involving opioids. Dr. Hardy explained, “our program like

many others are not equipped to deal with this epidemic.”

A SWOT analysis helps organizations identify internal and external factors that are

positively and negatively impacting their business operations. The more aware your

organization is of how internal and external environmental factors can affect business

performance, improves the likelihood of success and sustainability. Recovery for Life has been

operating for 20 years and has provided treatment to thousands of people in Hampton Roads.

Despite the organization’s weaknesses and external threats, they continue to receive support

from the community. Data has shown that after completion of the 12-week program, clients

have learned better coping skills and relapse prevention skills (P. Hardy, personal

communication, April 24, 2019).

References

American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. (2018). Teens: Alcohol And Other

Drugs. Retrieved from https://www.aacap.org.

AddictionCenter. (2019). Understanding the Cost of Rehab. Retrieved from

https://www.addictioncenter.com.

Abukhames, H. (2015, May 8). Internal Factors that May Affect the Business Organization.

Retrieved from https://www.linkedin.com.

All Treatment. (2019). 2017 Drug Trends in Virginia Beach. Retrieved on April 28, 2019 from

https://www.alltreatment.com.

Balle, L. (2019, April 29). Understaffing Issues in the Workplace. Retrieved from

https://bizfluent.com.

Center on Addiction. (2017, April 14). Teen Substance Use. Retrieved from

https://www.centeronaddiction.org.

City of Virginia Beach. (2017). Opioid Prevention, Treatment & Recovery Program. Retrieved

from https://www.vbgov.com.

Grant, M. (2019, April 27). Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, and Threat (SWOT) Analysis.

Retrieved from https://www.investopedia.com.

Hardy, P. (2019, April 24). Personal Communication.

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. (2014, October 1). Study: Public Feels

More Negative Toward People With Drug Addiction Than Those With Mental Illness.

Retrieved from https://www.jhsph.edu.

Kokemuller, N. (2019). The Advantages of SWOT Analysis in a Strategic Plan. Retrieved from

https://smallbusiness.chron.com.

Muckher, S. (2019). 7 Factors Determining the Internal Environment of a Business. Retrieved

from http://www.economicsdiscussion.net.

Price, N. (2017, September 29). Executive Director/CEO Succession Planning for Nonprofit

Organizations. Retrieved from https://www.boardeffect.com.

Rigg, K.K. & Menendez, K.M. (2018). Drug prevention programmes in schools: Selecting

programme providers. Health Education Journal, 77(5), 586-597. Retrieved from

https://doi.org/10.1177/0017896918763454.

Rouse, M. (2019). Strategic Management. Retrieved from

https://searchcio.techtarget.com/definition/strategic-management.

Virginia Department of Health. (2019). Virginia Opioid Addiction Indicators. Retrieved from

http://www.vdh.virginia.gov.