ARC Awards Millions To Address Substance Use Disorder

Money for projects to address substance use disorder in West Virginia is coming from the Appalachian Regional Commission. 

The ARC has awarded nearly $11.5 million for close to 40 projects in nine states. The money is awarded through ARC’s Investments Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems (INSPIRE) Initiative. It aims to address the impact of substance use disorder (SUD) in Appalachia with investments in projects that create or expand services in the recovery ecosystem leading to workforce entry and re-entry.

In West Virginia, seven projects will receive close to half a million dollars each, for a total award of $3.5 million.

Projects include a mentorship program for at-risk young women, opioid recovery and workforce reentry programs for those in recovery.

• Region 4 Development Council in Summersville, West Virginia, for the Therapeutic Landscapes and Aquaculture—Workforce 
• Williamson Health & Wellness Center in Williamson, West Virginia, for the New Heights Recovery Continuum project. 
• Libera, Inc., in Morgantown, West Virginia, for the Expansion of Libera Mentorship Program for At-Risk Young Women in WV. 
• Marshall University Research Corporation in Huntington, West Virginia, for the LevelUP Program. 
• Rural Appalachian Improvement League, Inc.,(RAIL) in Mullens, West Virginia, for the Remote Readiness Resource Network, R (3) N project. 
• Randolph County Housing Authority in Elkins, West Virginia, for the Cultivating Recovery Employment and Training Education (CREATE)
• The REACH Initiative in Charleston, West Virginia, for the WV REACHback Recovery / Reentry Navigator Program project. 

“Substance use disorder is a region-wide epidemic that impacts Appalachian families and community workforces,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin in a press release. “I commend our 2024 INSPIRE grantees for their dedication in helping Appalachians who have struggled with substance use disorder regain a sense of hope and purpose by enabling them to rejoin their communities, bolster workforce development, and make positive impacts on the region.”