On July 28, record flooding killed 40 and left perhaps thousands homeless in Eastern Kentucky. The day after was an uncertain one for many, but it was deeply anxiety-inducing for residents who've spent years struggling with addiction and in rehabilitation and recovery programs. Isolation, loss of structure, financial problems, and loss of community could be deadly, and many worried they'd lose all the stability they had. At the Hemphill Community Center and Troublesome Creek Stringed Instrument Company, two flagship recovery-to-work programs decided to scrape together any money they could find to continue paying their workers for the community support & disaster relief work they were already doing.
For this Mountain Talk, we spoke to baker Jason Fields and director Gwen Johnson at the Hemphill Community Center near the town of Neon as well as director Doug Naselroad and luthiers Anthony Parsons and Jeremy Haney of Troublesome Creek Stringed Instrument Company/the Culture of Recovery program in the city of Hindman.
Music featured is "Hard Times" by Doug Naselroad.
Resources:
Kentuckians seeking help for substance use can call 1-833-8KY-HELP (1-833-859-4357) toll-free to speak with a specialist about treatment options and available resources. Kentucky River Community Care can be reached at their 24 hour informational hotline, 1-800-262-7491.
FindHelpNowKY.org
Website: findhelpnowky.org/ky
Crisis Line: 1-800-854-6813
FindHelpNowKy.org provides resource listings for hundreds of addiction treatment facilities across the state, providing up-to-date and accurate information about their treatment offerings and availability. If you need help finding treatment or have questions about treatment or recovery, contact our partners at the Kentucky HELP Statewide Call Center to speak with a screening and referral specialist Monday through Friday, from 8:30 a.m.-10 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 pm EST/EDT at 1-877-318-1871. After hours and need assistance? Call the Kentucky Opioid Assistance and Resource Hotline (KY-OAR) at 1-800-854-6813.
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment National Helpline
Website: findtreatment.samhsa.gov
Crisis line: 1-800-662-HELP (4357); TTY: 1-800-487-4889
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Treatment National Helpline, (also known as the Treatment Referral Routing Service), provides a confidential, free, 24-hour-a-day, 365-day-a-year, information service, in English and Spanish, for individuals and family members facing mental and/or substance use disorders. This service provides referrals to local treatment facilities, support groups, and community-based organizations. findtreatment.samhsa.gov
Overdose Prevention
Website: nextdistro.org/kyresourcesyesno
For assistance in obtaining naloxone, a life-saving overdose reversal drug, visit NEXT Distro. NEXT Distro works to get naloxone to people who use drugs and the people who are the most likely to be a first responder in an opioid overdose emergency. If you encounter someone you suspect is experiencing an overdose, call 911 immediately.
This story is part of the “America Amplified” initiative. America Amplified is a national public media collaboration focused on community engagement reporting.
This reporting was also supported by the Solutions Journalism Network.
This reporting is a part of WMMT's labor series.