2025 EOY Letter

2025 was intense.

We fully owned and maintained our software solution for the first time. This was our first full year after building and transitioning to our own tech in 2024.

We unexpectedly became a partner to hundreds of recovery homes, a space that's personal to me, since a sober home is where my own life changed in 2006.

We learned a lot from the people and organizations using our tools. The great thing about working in this space is that grace is the operating currency, but also means that people are not bashful asking or demanding what they need.

And, to that end, despite good intentions, not everything went to plan. The year presented a difficult business environment that is evolving every day.

In my end-of-year letter mailed to customers, partners, and advisors last week, I reflect on what this year taught us and where we're headed. We were reminded to recenter on our core competency: the Recovery Capital Index and measuring recovery. Our job is to engage with and build systems that turn good data into evidence that gets meaningful solutions funded.

Last year, approximately 5,000 individuals completed the RCI with 65% showing meaningful improvement over time. A summary breakdown is provided below.

We intend to expand upon that summary analysis. In a few weeks, we will release our first ever State of Recovery Capital report. This report will provide insights on trends and begin to establish national benchmarks for comprehensive recovery measurement.

Here's the full EOY letter written 21 DEC 2025.

In the 12 years since developing the Recovery Capital Index and working with hundreds of agencies around data and outcomes, the mental health and addiction recovery field has changed a lot. Despite incredible advances in technology, leaders and organizations continue to struggle with the same fundamental challenge: operationalizing data to establish evidence-backed systems to prove what works and secure sustainable funding to achieve big missions and visions.

The big goals of organizations and communities are hard to reach. This is because providers and programs are under-funded, under-staffed, and technologically behind. Technology is helping some bridge the gap. But, a sizable majority of the field lacks the skills and culture to systematically implement the processes and solutions for organizational resilience and longitudinal proof.

At Commonly Well, we recognize that establishing meaningful evidence happens through long-term commitment. A lot like recovery itself, it begins when people start small and create consistency over time. When technology is ever-evolving and all-consuming, humans in healthcare matter more than ever. We have always over-indexed on the human touch – an approach that has made Commonly Well a trusted and reliable data and advisory partner, not just a software solution.

We have always been focused on helping people, organizations, and communities measure recovery and wellbeing. Over the past few years, we’ve transformed to deliver what we call recovery intelligence — data, analytics, and insight that help our customers understand what’s working, what’s missing, and what truly improves lives.

As reimbursement models and funding systems have changed and become less certain, our work and the Recovery Capital Index have increasingly been tied to funding requirements and performance goals. Capturing and reporting the right data is important, but the key piece of the equation is using the data and insights to improve and grow.

This past year, two things happened to our organization that created new conditions for positive change and a thriving future.

The first was fully maintaining a software solution we designed and built. This evolution created the most intense season of learning from our customers, those they serve, and ourselves.

The second was the unintentional entrance into the recovery housing space. I have a personal connection to sober living. A sober home was where I went after leaving jail in January 2006. From that moment, I never returned to my old life. I get how important safe, high quality recovery homes are for setting the conditions for individuals to dramatically change their lives. The opportunity to serve thousands of these homes in 2025 was unexpected, but a gratifying experience personally and for our business.

As we go into 2026, we plan to center around our core competency – the Recovery Capital Index. The RCI and our improved data tools will drive solutions designed to shape systems for provable impact. We will implement full measurement processes for organizations that establish a reliable, repeatable evidence base to advance missions. We will turn participant-level data into compelling evidence briefs, annual reports, and outcomes narratives to demonstrate value to funders, policymakers, and communities. And we will embark on doing more custom research that uncovers what really works, while joining organizations to operationalize insights for greater impact.

Ahead, Commonly Well will release its first State of Recovery Capital report. This report will be released by the end of January. And, during the first quarter of the year, we intend to introduce new systems and solutions that improve the use of recovery intelligence and make access to recovery resources and care less of a burden.

These are interesting and uncertain times. However, when humans are values-driven and know that which they can change, usually the unimaginable happens.

Thank you for being part of Commonly Well’s journey and for allowing us to impact yours.

Be Well.

David Whitesock
CEO + Founder, Commonly Well

OCT 1 2024 – DEC 20 2025
Prepared Dec 21, 2025 by David Whitesock

This summary analysis of Recovery Capital Index (RCI) data is from 85 organizations representing 885 facilities across the United States and covering the time period from 1 OCTOBER 2024 to 30 NOVEMBER 2025. This time period goes back to OCT 2024 to include a large number of participants first engaged at the end of 2024.

Bottom Line: Most participants experience demonstrably improved lives.

Commonly Well partners with behavioral health providers, community organizations, and health systems to conduct rigorous, actionable research that drives real outcomes.

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