Created to assist individuals in southeast Ohio affected by substance use disorder, MyRecoveryLink.org has received a 2021 Aliceann Wohlbruck Impact Award from the National Association of Development Organizations.
The Impact Awards program honors NADO members for their creative approaches to advancing regional economic development and improved quality of life.
The project’s roots go back to 2019, when the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC), along with other institutions, conducted interviews and focus groups that helped determine best practices for communicating about opioids in the Appalachian Region. The main focus of these studies was to explore how opioids were uniquely affecting Appalachian communities and identify effective strategies. As a result of the findings, the Department of Labor (DOL) created the Disaster Relief Grant to support those affected by the nation’s opioid epidemic.
In September of 2019, the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services began implementing the grant across 88 counties in Ohio. In early 2020 the Ohio Means Jobs Area 15, otherwise known as the Ohio Valley Employment Resource (OVER), began hiring dislocated workers, funded by the grant, to implement programs and resources that would assist the individuals and families affected by the opioid crisis in southeast Ohio.
OVER soon formed a partnership with Buckeye Hills Regional Council (BHRC) to implement the Opioid Resource Navigation program. In 2020, Buckeye Hills hired Brandi Beaver as an Opioid Resource Navigator and engaged Stonewall Group to develop the project’s branding and online presence.
“Brandi has helped us create and update an online database of resources for those touched by the opioid crisis in southeast Ohio,” said Misty Crosby, Executive Director of Buckeye Hills Regional Council. “Even with the challenges of the pandemic, Brandi worked hard to foster community partnerships in support of the program and promote MyRecoveryLink.org through outreach fairs and one-on-one interactions with those in need.
“Since its launch, MyRecoveryLink.org has helped connect more than 1,400 individuals in southeast Ohio with local recovery and support resources,” said Beaver. “I’ve also been able to take the program to the streets, working with local agencies and recovery resource centers, forming a community outreach team to distribute materials and personal care supplies to encampments of homeless individuals and other ‘hot spots.’ We have even helped individuals get directly connected with housing and shelter, phones, and employment.”
Stonewall Group Marketing of Marietta, a strategic marketing services firm, worked with Buckeye Hills Regional Council in the development of the MyRecoveryLink brand including the design and development of the website MyRecoveryLink.org.
Buckeye Hills serves as a forum through which local communities work cooperatively to improve southeast Ohio. The collaborative nature of MyRecoveryLink.org and the creation of the Opioid Resource Navigator position at BHRC exemplify this approach to community-driven problem-solving and improvement. By assisting individuals in their recovery journey, this project is helping them become better prepared to remain in or re-enter the workforce, improving their health, social, and economic outcomes and overall quality of life.
NADO is a Washington, DC-based membership association of regional development organizations that promote programs and policies that strengthen local governments, communities, and economies through regional cooperation, program delivery, and comprehensive strategies. The association’s Impact Awards program recognizes regional development organizations and their partners for improving the economic and community competitiveness of our nation’s regions and local communities.
The 2021 class of NADO’s awardees consists of 102 projects from 70 organizations spanning 24 states. The complete list of awardees is available online at nado.org/2021_impactawards.