Biography
Carmen Cantu is a Peer Specialist and Mental Health & Substance Use Advocate.
Carmen brings over a decade of hands-on experience in the mental health and substance use recovery field, with a deep commitment to supporting individuals and families impacted by addiction, co-occurring disorders, and systemic barriers.
With more than 18 years in recovery herself, Carmen uses her lived experience as a powerful tool to connect, inspire, and advocate for sustainable change within vulnerable communities.
For over three years, Carmen served as the Housing Director at the International Recovery Center (IRC), where she oversaw residential operations within a treatment setting tailored to individuals managing both substance use and mental health conditions.
In this role, she ensured a safe, structured, and recovery-oriented environment while coordinating with clinical teams to support clients’ healing and stability.
Her leadership prioritized dignity, compliance, and a trauma-informed approach.
While at IRC, Carmen also played a critical role in the Family Intensive Treatment (FITT) program, a community-based initiative designed for families involved in the child welfare system due to substance use and mental health challenges.
As a peer specialist within FITT, Carmen collaborated with a multidisciplinary team of therapists, case managers, and family support professionals to deliver in-home services that addressed substance use, parenting skills, and emotional wellness.
Her contributions were instrumental in helping families work toward reunification, supporting both parents and children with compassionate, individualized care.
Following her time at IRC, Carmen transitioned to WestCare, where she spent over eight years as a peer specialist supporting individuals across diverse stages of recovery.
Through outreach, mentorship, and advocacy, she provided emotional and practical support to clients navigating mental health crises, substance use treatment, housing instability, and reintegration after out-of-home placement.
Now stepping into her new role as a Peer Specialist with Care Resource, Carmen continues her community engagement and recovery empowerment mission.
Her approach is rooted in cultural humility, trauma-informed care, and a deep understanding of the social determinants that affect behavioral health outcomes.
She is especially passionate about helping families involved in the child welfare system, ensuring they can access the support, resources, and hope needed to heal and thrive.
Carmen often says, “Suit up and show up—no matter the circumstance.”
For her, this mantra is more than words, it’s a way of life.
It represents the power of presence in the face of adversity, and the belief that strength lies not in perfection, but in the willingness to rise, take action, and hold space for others on their journey to recovery.
