The SUD Collaborative is working to improve employment opportunities for individuals impacted by substance use disorders throughout the Mid-Ohio Valley. Our work focuses on building an eco-system of regional partners that address barriers to employment by providing high-quality services and employer outreach.

Appalachian Regional Commission’s INSPIRE Initiative

Organizations across the Mid-Ohio Valley of West Virginia and Ohio have come together to align program resources for recovery-related individuals to seek and retain employment. This collaborative effort targets individuals who are making progress in their recovery journey and are nearing the point of workforce entry. The project assists participants by expanding existing community linkage services, such as peer recovery support, and making sure that those linkages extend across state borders. The project expands successful recovery-focused job training programs and education opportunities through employer outreach programs. Peer recovery support specialists provide community linkage to partners in the area that offer assistance in obtaining vital records necessary for employment, legal and counseling services, resume building along with employment readiness aid and other critical needs.

INSPIRE-focused peer recovery support specialists, PRSS, assist individuals who have recovery-related barriers. The PRSS works with the individual to navigate the challenges of entering the workforce while they ultimately maintain their personal recovery. They access these barriers and help bridge the necessary conversations to resources and improved employment opportunities.