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January jobs report: Unemployment rate falls to 4%, wages rise more than forecast; Trump signs order imposing sanctions on International Criminal Court over investigations of Israel; Ten Commandments in public schools debate reaches South Dakota; Virginia ranks among worst states for wage theft; Mexican long-nosed bat makes appearance in Arizona.

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Attorney General Pam Bondi strikes a Trump tone at the Justice Department, federal workers get more time to consider buyouts, and an unclassified email request from the White House worries CIA vets.

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During Black History Month, a new book shares how a unique partnership built 5,000 schools for Black students, anti-hunger advocates say ag communities would benefit from an expanded SNAP program, and Americans have $90 billion in unpaid medical bills.

New KY program aims to turn recovery into career pathway

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Thursday, November 14, 2024   

A statewide program in Kentucky aims to provide credentialing and pathways to a career in social work for people in substance use disorder recovery. Advocates say the Career Ladders in Mental and Behavioral Health or CLIMB-Health program is vital for the state to boost the mental health and social services workforce.

Carl Wilson, senior fellow for healthcare development and initiatives with the Kentucky Council on Secondary Education, said it also provides opportunities for those in recovery to make a living and expand their career horizons.

"You can gain both occupation credentials and or employment all the way up through a professional level within this program. So the program offers individuals with lived experience a tailored pathway," he said.

Community colleges across the state serving more than 100,000 residents are now working with people who have been state-certified peer support specialists, to transfer their training toward Bachelor of Social Work degrees. The CLIMB-Health program began on Kentucky Community & Technical College System campuses in counties with the highest overdose deaths.

Wilson said residents in drug court programs in all 120 counties face barriers to employment.

"When they get to that employer interview, and that employer runs that background, and they see the addiction issue, they see in most cases, the justice involvement, they're locked out of opportunities," he added.

The goal is to fill urgent gaps in the state's healthcare system and boost long-term economic stability for people living in recovery.

"We have approximately 50,000 to 0,000 untapped workers for our workforce in Kentucky that have not been given that opportunity to have a specialized program which addresses them," Wilson continued.

While overdose rates in other states are declining Kentucky ranks among the top ten states in the nation for drug overdose deaths, according to the CDC.


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