Building a Recovery to Work Ecosystem for the Region
Substance use recovery requires collaborative action to help individuals become stable contributors to the workforce. This project seeks to support the creation of active, successful “ecosystems” of regional organizations working together to help individuals in recovery succeed in the labor market and help companies to find and support those individuals successfully.
The Ohio Valley Recovery to Work Cohort group was assembled and chosen as one of four proposals in the 13-state Appalachian Region through a grant sponsored by the Development District Association of Appalachia (DDAA), an affiliate of the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC).
The Ohio Valley Recovery to Work Cohort has been meeting online due to Covid 19 restriction, building resources such as a Recovery to Work toolkit, stakeholder coalition, and general awareness of recovery workforce development and wrap-around support from an integrated workforce/economic development point of view. Through the work of the Cohort, three areas were identified for advocacy, including transportation, employer engagement, and housing. The housing advocacy planning is what brought the online Ohio Valley Recovery Housing Summit planning to life.
For an Ohio Valley Recovery to Work Learning Cohort Founding Members Directory – click here.
To view the Ohio Valley Recovery Housing Summit held on February 25 and March 11, 2021 webinars on demand – click here.
What is recovery housing and why is it important to the Ohio Valley region? The Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission and local stakeholders—with help from the Appalachia Regional Commission (ARC) and the Development District of Appalachia (DDAA)—have formed the Ohio Valley Partnership focused on creating regional programs to help individuals recovering from substance use disorders as they strive to become productive members of the local workforce. Critical to this mission is ensuring the availability of recovery-safe housing.
To view the Ohio Valley Recovery Housing Summit held on February 25 and March 11, 2021 webinars on demand click here. View the agenda Ohio Valley Recovery Housing Summit Agenda.
The Ohio Valley Recovery to Work Cohort experience helped when the core team was awarded the ARC INSPIRE grant for the Southern Ohio Employer Resource Network project.