Appalachian Regional Commission Awards Nearly $500,000 to Skill Up Tennessee Recovery Initiative
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Adults who have a history of using drugs or are at an increased risk of substance use disorder often need additional help acquiring necessary job skills and finding employment. This challenge is intensified in Tennessee counties with limited resources, creating a cycle of job loss and recurrence of drug misuse.
University of Tennessee Extension has secured nearly $500,000 in funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission’s INSPIRE (Investments in Supporting Partnerships in Recovery Ecosystems) initiative to expand current efforts that specifically target individuals with substance abuse disorder. The commission is a partnership between the federal government and 13 state governments to strengthen economic growth in the region.
The grant funds the Skill Up Tennessee Recovery Initiative, an expansion of UT Extension’s Skill Up Tennessee program, to build on and increase current efforts in workforce development to focus specifically on job training and skill building for individuals with or at risk of developing substance use disorder in the identified counties. The East and Middle Tennessee counties include Bledsoe, Campbell, Carter, Claiborne, Clay, Cocke, Dekalb, Fentress, Grainger, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Hawkins, Jackson, Johnson, Meigs, Monroe, Morgan, Overton, Pickett, Rhea, Sequatchie, Scott, Unicoi, Van Buren, Warren and White.
Skill Up Tennessee, established in 2017, is a project of the Department of Family and Consumer Sciences that connects Tennessee SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) recipients with access to education and training to help them gain the knowledge, skills and industry-recognized credentials needed for employment with the goal of self-sufficiency.
The Skill Up Tennessee Recovery Initiative will collaborate with UT Extension specialists and county agents, the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the UT Knoxville Department of Public Health and Tennessee Reconnect, and it will leverage an existing partnership with the Tennessee Rural Community Opioid Response Program that provides prevention, treatment, recovery education and advocacy services. UT Extension will utilize the processes and procedures established and found to be successful by Skill Up Tennessee to focus specifically on job training and skill building for individuals with or at risk of substance use disorder (SUD). These counties have some of the highest rates of SUD in the state, exacerbated by geographic isolation, stigma and a shortage of behavioral health professionals.
“Bridging the gap in rural Tennessee’s behavioral health services requires coordinated solutions that address critical workforce shortages, strengthen local collaborative partnership networks, as well as expand access to training for both employees and employers. Through the Skill Up Tennessee Recovery Initiative, we are not only investing in workforce development but also empowering individuals and communities to break cycles of substance use and move toward long-term resilience,” said Laura Clark, interim community health specialist for the UT Extension Family and Consumer Sciences Department. “Individuals affected by substance use disorder often encounter challenges in maintaining stable employment, which can place added strain on their health, their families and their communities. By working with community partners and strengthening local networks, we can create a more supportive environment that promotes sustained recovery and workforce participation.”
The initiative will work with Tennessee Colleges of Applied Technology (TCATs), community colleges, and other training providers to help participants complete vocational/technical training. Participants can enroll in short-term training (2.5 years or less) to acquire industry-recognized credentials needed for in-demand fields and will receive tuition assistance and supportive services such as textbooks, testing fees, uniforms, tools, reimbursement for transportation assistance and referrals for childcare. UT Extension will provide work readiness training, job search training, and job retention as needed. In addition, businesses and organizations will be trained to better understand the needs of individuals with SUD to promote recovery-friendly workplaces that increase the likelihood of hiring the individuals recruited upon the completion of their training.
For more information about Skill Up Tennessee, visit skillup.tennessee.edu.
The University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture is comprised of the Herbert College of Agriculture, UT College of Veterinary Medicine, UT AgResearch and UT Extension. Through its land-grant mission of teaching, research and outreach, the Institute touches lives and provides Real. Life. Solutions. to Tennesseans and beyond. utia.tennessee.edu.