TROSA’s Chief Program Officer Karen Kelley was selected to take part in the Appalachian Regional Commission‘s Substance Abuse Advisory Council. TROSA is proud to report that the Council’s recommendations to support a robust recovery ecosystem have been accepted by the Commission and will be put into practice to help combat the nationwide epidemic of substance abuse, which has deeply impacted the Appalachian Region.
We are proud to share this video produced by the ARC, which highlights the role and goals of the Council. The Council is a 24-member volunteer group of leaders from recovery services, health, economic development, private industry, education, state government, law enforcement, and other sectors representing each of the Appalachian Region’s 13 states. The Council’s goal is to help establish a recovery ecosystem that links services – like treatment, housing, transportation and job training – to help people reenter the workforce and succeed in long-term recovery.
The recommendations in the Council’s report include:
–Developing and disseminating a playbook of solutions for communities addressing common ecosystems gaps and services barriers.
–Developing model workforce training programs that incorporate recovery services with appropriate evaluation measures.
–Convening experts to develop and disseminate an employer, best practices toolkit to educate employers and human resource experts in recruiting, selecting, managing, and retaining employees who are in recovery.
–Funding local liaison positions across Appalachia responsible for promoting a recovery ecosystem by building bridges between employers, workforce development agencies, and recovery organizations, and disseminating an employer best practices toolkit.
“This report, the result of excellent work by the ARC Substance Abuse Advisory Council, is informed and inspired by the people of the Appalachian Region, who have been especially impacted by the substance abuse epidemic in our country,” said ARC Federal Co-Chairman Tim Thomas. “I am proud not only of the innovative and necessary recommendations they have produced, but of the transparent and participatory process by which they reached their conclusions. Their effort proves that effective leadership begins at the community level. I accept their recommendations, thank the Commission for doing the same, and will seek to begin addressing them with our state partners in future ARC programs.” For more information, please visit www.arc.gov/substanceabuse