A Columbus nonprofit that secures drug- and alcohol-free housing for people recovering from addiction has been awarded a grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s Investments Supporting Partnerships In Recovery Ecosystems initiative.

Ohio Recovery Housing Inc., located on the north side of Columbus, is one of six non-profit entities in Ohio to be awarded funding.

The INSPIRE initiative “supports efforts to connect individuals in recovery with workforce training, career opportunities and the wraparound supports needed to succeed,” according to commission officials.

Ohio is receiving $2.1 million, more than any other state in this year’s awards. The Appalachian Regional Commission awarded $11 million to 32 projects in nine states “to improve businesses and prepare individuals for new opportunities in the workforce.”

“Ohio is stronger when its residents are healthy and have opportunities to contribute to their communities,” said Gov. Mike DeWine. “With the right support, Ohioans in recovery can build stable careers, provide for their families, and be a part of Ohio’s growing economy.”

The commission’s grant of $85,213 to Ohio Recovery Housing Inc. will be used for the Recovery Housing as Workforce Housing: Strengthening the Recovery Ecosystem with Data Driven Solutions project.

The project “will focus on a comprehensive research and evaluation assessment on substance use disorder recovery and workforce housing needs in 32 Appalachian Ohio counties,” according to commission officials.

The assessment will “identify gaps, cost-benefits, and broader systemic needs, culminating in a strategic action plan designed to support local operators, community members and regional leaders in strengthening recovery-to-work ecosystems.”

As a result of the project, five plans will be developed and shared through targeted reports, planning tools and other mediums “designed to inform local planning, resource allocation and workforce development programs that include people in substance use disorder recovery.”

“This is a great example of meeting people where they are,” said Lydia Mihalik, director of the Ohio Department of Development, which houses the governor’s Office of Appalachia. “By investing in both individuals and the systems that support them, we’re helping Ohioans in recovery succeed while making our communities stronger places to live and work.”

Other grant recipients in Ohio include the Community Action Committee of Pike County ($500,000), Shawnee State University ($500,000), Youngstown Area Goodwill Industries Inc. ($500,000), Kent State University ($100,000) and On Our Way Home Inc. in New Richmond ($473,037).

Since INSPIRE was established in April 2021, ARC has invested nearly $65.7 million in 200 projects across 380 Appalachian counties. Of those projects, 27, totaling more than $9.3 million, have been in Ohio.

“In order to have a healthy Appalachian economy, we must make sure we have a healthy Appalachian workforce,” said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. “I am so proud of the way ARC’s INSPIRE initiative ecosystem empowers Appalachians in substance use disorder recovery to gain the training, resources and support they need to enter or re-enter the workforce while also becoming productive members of their families and communities.”

Nonprofits in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia were also awarded grants.

The Appalachian Regional Commission is an economic development partnership entity of the federal government and 13 states.