The Millard College will partner with Addiction Recovery Care to deliver job training to Kentuckians in recovery from substance use disorders
Louisa, Ky. (September 8, 2022) — The Millard College has been awarded a $500,000 grant by the Appalachian Regional Commission to provide job training, in partnership with Addiction Recovery Care, to Kentuckians in recovery from substance use disorders.
The award is part of a recently announced $12 million package through the Appalachian Regional Commission’s INSPIRE Initiative, which addresses the region’s substance use disorder crisis with investments that strengthen services in the recovery ecosystem and help facilitate workforce entry and re-entry.
The Millard College and Addiction Recovery Care will work together to provide a coordinated, holistic approach to recovery, training and work experience. This partnership will not only help address the state’s historically low workforce participation rate, but will grow the behavioral health workforce at a time when these workers are needed most.
The grant will help fund The Millard College’s Peer Support program, which equips individuals with the necessary training and skills they need to be hired as peer support specialists positions. Curriculum will include workplace skills, introduction to computers, recovery principles, professional engagement practices and professional ethics.
Peer support specialists play an important role in the treatment and recovery ecosystem, especially at a time when Kentucky overdose deaths have increased by nearly 50 percent. As individuals who have been successful in the recovery process, peer support specialists are uniquely positioned to assist others experiencing similar situations.
Through shared understanding, respect, and mutual empowerment, peer support workers help people become and stay engaged in the recovery process and reduce the likelihood of relapse. Peer support services can effectively extend the reach of treatment beyond the clinical setting into the everyday environment of those seeking a successful, sustained recovery process.
“I commend The Millard College and Addiction Recovery Care for their work supporting the recovery ecosystem in Appalachian Kentucky. Their efforts are integral to bringing our INSPIRE projects to life,” said Appalachian Regional Commission Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “The Millard College is a great asset in our efforts to address the region’s substance use disorder crisis, and I look forward to seeing how they will help build a strong recovery ecosystem and a stronger workforce for the opportunities of tomorrow.”
“With our focus on training and employment interwoven with recovery, we will be able to help many more men and women discover their destiny and solidify their future. We are thankful for the generosity of the Appalachian Regional Commission and are honored to be a 2022 INSPIRE grant recipient,” said Randy Stinson, President of The Millard College. “We look forward to continuing to help people reach long-term recovery and reinvigorate the economy of the entire Appalachian region.”
“Job training and employment are critical components of long-term recovery,” said Tim Robinson, President and CEO of Addiction of Recovery Care. “Our partnership with The Millard College will help us take more Kentuckians from crisis to career, and we’re grateful to have the Appalachian Regional Commission’s support.”
Since INSPIRE was established in April 2021, the Appalachian Regional Commission has invested $28.1 million in 83 projects across 289 Appalachian counties. The $12 million package for FY2022 is projected to improve nearly 450 businesses and prepare nearly 3,000 students and workers for new opportunities in the workforce.
The Appalachian Regional Commission is expecting to issue a request for proposals for the next round of INSPIRE grant opportunities in early 2023. Additional information and resources are available at arc.gov/SUD.
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About The Millard College & Addiction Recovery Care
Through a partnership with Addiction Recovery Care, The Millard College offers career paths and career training for individuals in recovery throughout Eastern Kentucky.
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About the Appalachian Regional Commission
The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development agency of the federal government and 13 state governments focusing on 423 counties across the Appalachian Region. ARC’s mission is to innovate, partner, and invest to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in Appalachia to help the Region achieve socioeconomic parity with the nation.
