CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Last week, the Kanawha County Commission voted to award $250,000 of opioid settlement funds to West Virginia Health Right for their recovery programs and services.
Health Right is a non-profit organization that gives healthcare access for under protected residents in the state and has several programs in place to reach out to those battling addiction to help them get back on their feet.
The commission brought frontline workers up during a meeting to recognize their important services ahead of Recovery Month, which is September. Health Right workers were surprised to hear that major funds would be directed to their services and programs.
Health Right CEO Angie Settle says they do whatever they can to meet those in recovery where they are.
"We do everything from working with families, we help people get into recovery, help support them when they're in recovery trying to keep their kids. We help on site with childcare while they're there to see somebody," Settle told commissioners.
Among the programs Health Right offers is Prepped to Serve Appalachia, which puts those in recovery in a three-month fine dining program to get them jobs in the food service industry. More programs Health Right offers can be viewed here.
One of the many services Health Right makes available for those in recovery is a mobile dental clinic. The mobile clinic travels to McDowell, Boone, Logan, Clay, and Roane counties twice a month to offer services to low-income adult patients. These services include fillings, extractions, or dental cleanings.
Settle says the mobile dental clinic is one of the special programs that helps prepare people to get back into the work force.
"Somebody gets into recovery and their mouth tells their history, so we want to really help people there and do whatever we can to remove barriers to keep people working in West Virginia. We want to help everybody, but we also want to keep people employed and working."
Kanawha County Commission President Ben Salango says he wasn't fully aware the reach Health Right truly has.
"I had no idea how much -- in addition to the therapy and the things you do -- how many other services you provide for people that are in recovery. It is nothing short of remarkable, quite frankly," Salango said.
Commissioner Lance Wheeler met Settle years ago while volunteering at a remote area medical event at a church in Kanawha County. He says Settle and Health Right's work is a true asset to the county.
"I was just a kid then. What I got to see then, before I was ever an elected official, I saw the desire in your eyes to help people. TO go out and do everything you possibly can," Wheeler said. "What I also see, with Health Right, you've taken that leadership and determination to help people and you made sure that you hired and brought on the right team."
"Your team is the utmost excellence that I have seen in a non-profit organization. You really have built something special and here in Kanawha County, we are lucky to have you all there all hours of the day, every day of the week, all seasons of all year," he continued.
Before Settle and the other frontline workers sat down, Wheeler said he didn't have a doubt that Health Right would use the funds wisely and diligently.
"Just in recovery, I see that you all have -- in your heart -- the right intentions and looking at scientific evidence while also using compassion for every single one of your patients," he said.