Appalachian Regional Commission awards $11 million to support recovery from addiction in Appalachia, with $2.1 million coming to Kentucky to include Owsley County

The Appalachian Regional Commission has awarded $11 million to 32 projects through its Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative, which aims to address workforce gaps and economic challenges due to the impact of substance use disorder in Appalachia.

“In order to have a healthy Appalachian economy, we must make sure we have a healthy Appalachian workforce,” ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin said in a news release. “I am so proud of the way ARC’s INSPIRE initiative ecosystem empowers Appalachians in substance use disorder recovery to gain the training, resources and support they need to enter or re-enter the workforce while also becoming productive members of their families and communities.”

The grants will fund projects in Georgia, Kentucky, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia.

Kentucky received five INSPIRE awards. They are:

• Kentucky Rural Health Information Technology Network, Inc., in Corbin, Kentucky, has been awarded $500,000 for its Horizon’s Workforce & Recovery Network project, which will focus on Knox, Laurel and Whitley counties. In addition to providing evidence-based substance use disorder practices, Horizon will offer peer-led workforce training, vocational and industry-specific job preparation, Recovery Ready Workplace (RRW) engagement, stigma reduction and employer partnerships in key industries such as HVAC, healthcare and manufacturing. As a result of this project, 20 businesses will be enhanced through RRW engagement, 150 workers/trainees will improve their vocational skills, 100 participants will receive evidence-based SUD wrap-around services, and seven communities will benefit from recovery-to-work programming.
• Hazard Community and Technical College has been awarded $500,000 for the From Recovery to Career: Culinary Workforce Development Initiative. In partnership with the Perry County Fiscal Court, HCTC will expand workforce training across Breathitt, Knott, Lee, Leslie, Owsley, Perry and Wolfe counties through the development of a culinary training program for students in substance use disorder (SUD) recovery. Participants will complete up to 35 credit hours of flexible, hands-on training to earn a Culinary Arts Certificate, and will gain real-world experience and industry-recognized credentials for employment in the culinary and hospitality sectors. This investment will strengthen 15 businesses through improved job retention and support 18 students in securing careers.
• Dream Coalition, doing business as Thrive Community Coalition in Inez, has been awarded $500,000 for its Second Chance Workforce Ecosystem Expansion project. In partnership with workforce development partners, regional employers and local treatment and recovery centers, the Thrive Coalition will enhance the recovery ecosystem in Floyd, Johnson, Martin and Pike counties through expansion of workforce training and employment opportunities for those in recovery and improve training and technical assistance for local employers to become recovery-friendly workplaces. The project will create a recovery-friendly workforce ecosystem that benefits both individuals and businesses by improving 90 workers/trainees and 15 businesses.
• Pathways Inc. received $500,000 for its Pathways to Careers project. This program will partner with the Ashland Community and Technical College, Maysville Community and Technical College and the Bluegrass Community and Technical College to provide soft skills training, short-term trade training and college courses to the 10-county service area of northeastern Kentucky. Additionally, local chambers of commerce will provide employers with training and information about becoming a Fair Chance employer, and the Tri-County Kentucky Agency for Substance Abuse Policy will identify individuals in recovery to participate in the program. It is anticipated that 355 workers and 125 students will be served by the project.
• Fresh Start Health Foundation, Inc. (FSHF) in Ashland has been awarded $100,000 for its Ground Up Coffee Project: Northeastern Kentucky Recovery Enterprise Planning project. This project will develop a framework for a recovery-focused revenue-generating business project serving Boyd, Carter, Lewis and Rowan counties. During the planning period, the initiative will evaluate optimal operational models, strategic location options and effective business approaches for a coffee-based revenue-generating business project.