J&H WV In The News: W.Va. Jobs and Hope Program Offers Hope to Those in Addiction Recovery
Organization has helped over 10k receive employment, and 585 participants graduate from program
By: Estaban Fernandez, The Register-Herald
FAIRMONT — For people on the verge of putting their life together after dealing with addiction, employment can be a significant hurdle.
“West Virginia is really rich with resources, but oftentimes it’s difficult to navigate those resources and be successful in obtaining the needed resources,” Deborah Harris, manager for Jobs & Hope WV, said. “The largest barriers we see are transportation, driver’s licenses, establishing a driver’s license if they have a DUI or unpaid fines or fees.”
Harris said access to transportation is the biggest barrier to employment. A high school diploma or GED is another; without one, it’s difficult to become employed, she said.
Based in Charleston, Jobs & Hope WV was established in 2019 with the goal of providing career training and meaningful employment. The state of West Virginia created the program. So far, the organization has helped 10,000 individuals receive employment, 585 participants graduate from the Jobs & Hope WV program, and 2,771 individuals reinstate their driver’s license.
Harris added they also help people deal with barriers related to child care, dental care, and vision service.
The program contracts with Modivcare to provide transportation to individuals who are without a vehicle. Modivcare already has a state contract for non-emergency medical transportation for individuals who need to get to medical appointments. Expanding that service to people trying to return to work or school after coping with addiction was logical.
Harris said the partnership between both organizations has grown over the years. Jobs & Hope WV takes advantage of the fact Modivcare has contracts with different organizations across the state, from taxi companies to buses. They also provide gas mileage reimbursement.
“I think last time I looked, they had gone over two million miles since 2019 helping our program participants to and from work, school, and training,” Harris said. “That’s to the moon and back a couple of times.”
Working with Modivcare, Jobs & Hope WV has provided the equivalent of at least four round trips to the moon — eight if it’s one way.
Annie Mezzanotte is the program’s North Central Adult Education Coordinator. Her geographic area covers Marion County. Her job is to oversee the classrooms and teachers that serve program recipients. The program isn’t solely for people in recovery.
“Jobs & Hope is for anybody with any type of barrier to employment,” she said. “It’s not just for people in recovery, which is what I thought it was for a long time, but they do not have to be in recovery. If one of the transition agents has a participant who needs a service, any service that adult education can provide — such as they need to get their GED — then they will refer their participants to our program.”
Mezzanotte said she sees barriers such as homelessness, addiction, or even layoffs prove to be substantial barriers to employment in Marion County. In case of a layoff, Mezzanotte said there’s a rapid response program to help people figure out what to do while they’re out of work after a layoff. Aside from helping people achieve certifications, they also help people enter postsecondary education.
“We can help them if they need to study for some type of entrance exam,” Mezzanotte said. “A lot of people think it’s just for the GED, but we offer many more opportunities, and everything is free for our students.”
Stefanie Morre, director of marketing and communications at Pierpont, said the school provides an office at the Caperton Center in Clarksburg, which is the main contribution the school makes to the Jobs & Hope WV program.
According to a study by the National Institute of Health, employment is a key functioning index in addiction services. The study notes employment consistently emerges as a goal among those in recovery. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, people in recovery can be among the most reliable and dedicated employees in a workplace, since they followed through on their commitment to develop the skills to sustain their recovery.
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration reviewed research findings to find the effectiveness of interventions that provide employment and, in some cases, educational supports. While more research is needed and there’s a dearth of systemic research on addiction and recovery, over the long term, in at least one randomized control trial, SAMHSA found apprenticeship-focused training was significantly more likely to yield employment results or attendance in GED classes than those in standard education settings. More research is needed overall, however.
“I believe that part of a long-term recovery is meaningful employment,” Harris said.
