Workforce and Recovery with Felicia Bowling and Julie Stephens from Kentucky RHIO Artwork

The Local Lens

The Local Lens is a podcast from the Powell County Health Department and Northeast Kentucky RHIO where we dive into our community’s experience with the drug epidemic. Everyone in the community has a different vantage point of what the drug issue looks like, shaped by their personal lives and professional roles. In this show, we are showcasing as many of those perspectives as we can through honest and informative conversations. By broadcasting the conversations here, we hope to reduce stigma and begin to find solutions. These are our people, using our voices, telling our stories, because no one sees it like we do.Help us out by taking this survey! https://forms.gle/B3jLoBT2jPZKyru66

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The Local Lens

Workforce and Recovery with Felicia Bowling and Julie Stephens from Kentucky RHIO

June 01, 2022 • The Local Lens • Season 3 • Episode 20

The Local Lens is a public health podcast going inside one community's experience with the drug epidemic. Everyone in the town of Stanton, KY sees this drug issue differently from each other, either because of their personal lives or professional roles. This show aims to showcase those different perspectives by having honest, in-depth interviews.

Drub abuse has plenty of negative effects on our region, but one of the most recognizable is on our workforce. A lot of people end up letting their drug usage overpower their desire to work and handle responsibilities, which leaves a significant shortage in the economy. Even after the addiction is addressed, many people still have more convictions than work experience. Considering how many people around here have had substance use disorder, this seems to be a pretty big issue.

Shouldn't we be addressing this?

Well, someone is. Kentucky Regional Health Information Organization (RHIO) is using funds from the US Department of Labor to run the Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities Project. This project is aimed at training people in recovery for a spread of jobs, some working in the harm reduction field and some not. They plan to begin this project in the Summer of 2022 throughout Eastern Kentucky, helping to train hundreds of people to join the workforce once again.

These are our people, using our voices, telling our stories, because no one sees it like we do.

Visit findhelpnowky.org to find treatment options for you in Kentucky.

Need help now? Call the 24-Hour Helpline: 1-800-422-1060

Mentioned Episodes:
Reaching People with Felicia Bowling
A Married Couple of Peer Support Specialists - Jeremy and Edna Thompson

To learn more about Kentucky RHIO's Workforce Opportunities for Rural Communities Project, visit their website.

Keep up with The Local Lens on Facebook, Instagram (@thelocallens_podcast) or on their website.

The Local Lens is sponsored by Kentucky Opioid Community Healing (from the Kentucky Rural Health Information Organization) and Powell County CARES (from the Powell County Health Department).

Find Powell County CARES on social media:
https://www.facebook.com/powellcountycares
Instagram: @powellcountycares