Pennington Gap, Virginia – on Saturday evening in June, the people of this rural area gathered at the historic Lee Theater to celebrate the establishment of the upper restoration of women.
The author Barbara Kingsolfar opened in January with Atawat from her Politzer’s novel, “Copper“A conspiracy revolves around the Opalashia Opium crisis. The house provides a supportive place for people to stay while learning to live without drugs. Kindelfar asked women who live there now to join it on stage.
Kingsolver, who grew up in Apalashia, suggested that women sharing with the audience most proud to gain from the first weeks in the upper land. But she knew that they were more keen to show off each other.
The supporters say Higher floor It provides stability and re -entry point after leaving prison, prison or treatment center. It provides a set of services and support in an area destroyed by pill addiction and other types of opiates. More importantly, it is a real house, with bedrooms from one or two people, a common kitchen, and an eye. Residents say they have found confirmation of a group of women who understand how addiction can spoil and rest from family and society.
Ronda Morgan, a resident, said her family was always in her corner. But while she was serving a prison sentence to possess drugs, she told herself, “She was tired of having to spend time with me.” She was ready to heal. Her daughter, a nurse, told her about the upper land, the first facility of its kind in the vast rural Lee County. Morgan learned that she could live there for up to two years to acquire the foot that she retreated in three decades of addiction.
What you did not expect is the kinship that you formulated with her colleagues at home – among them, Syara Persell – and with Light Groud employees.
Barsel, 35, one of the first residents of the upper land, said that at the time there she received help to find work and registration in community college courses.
From employees and Kingsolver, Barsel said, she has received a referee -free support. She said, “Together,” we discover that. “
Traditional treatment facilities are usually under very organized medical supervision. Marvin Vintrell, CEO of the National Association of addiction treatment providers, said the recovery houses, like the upper land, provide a more relaxed environment, which helps to transfer one of the residents “towards being an independent person, fully works, depends on the self.”
“Recovery in society is happening,” he said. But you should take a resolution. “When addiction occurs with a person, it also occurs within a family social structure.” If a person returns in an early recovery to an unprepared family, then the chances of the success of that person “diminishing severely.”
For kingsolver, the opioid material crisis has become a pivotal point of what she hoped to be the great “Appalachian novel”. A “other than the fabric of this place”, families and destroyed societies.
Central pharmaceutical companies targeted the sales of what they are Advocating addiction resistance Oidius prescription. Kingsolver wanted to “cast me all the extractive industries that have reached this place, took what is good, and left behind chaos.”
She said: “The way I put it, they came to harvest our pain when nothing else remains.”
In a search for “Demon Copperhead”, she immersed herself in the stories of people who moved to addiction and those who care and defend them.
The novel achieved tremendous success, as it sold more than 3 million copies and gained more than its previous works. Kingsolver decided to dedicate hundreds of thousands of dollars to address the crisis that overwhelmed the region in which she grew up – which she returned full -time in 2004.
Again, I started listening. Depending on a wide range of experience, I decided that a home to restore women was the most investment.
Joie Cantrell works as a public health nurse in Reducing For the Ministry of Health in Virginia, policies and practices supporting the negative effects of drug use, and act as the Chairman of the Supreme Board of Directors. I have long realized the need for such a house.
“This was the part that was missing,” said Kanril. Often, when someone comes out of a therapeutic or prison facility, “We have lost it. They have returned to the same old patterns.” She said that the area strongly needs a safe and stable environment where women can restore calibration.
By August, the house reached its ability to seven women. “It is very important,” Kingsolver said, “which is very important,” because in this part of the country we do not have public transportation. “
Persell has long suffered from social anxiety. The drug was flight. Here, her colleagues embraced her at home. They have provided support that you have not experienced before.
She said: “Every two seconds, like someone,” Syra here! “I am very grateful for that.” If there is a problem at home, “one of us seven of us has a solution.”
Four residents are employed outside the home, the other is registered in the classroom of the Community College, the other completes GED plans to continue their education, and everyone is volunteers in society. Drafting lessons are presented. Visit family members.
“They are living a life,” said Subrenda Huff, who was filled while director Liz Brooks took maternity leave.
Morgan said that she had been completed in one month in a land higher than it was years ago. This includes applying for identity documents, taking budget classes, and searching for permanent housing. It includes sharing maintenance duties at home.
This was the vision of Kingsolver. But she said: “This is what I did not expect: this community embraced with love weapons. I thought people may say,” I do not want this in the backyard. “
Most furniture was donated. Followers of social media at Kingsolver had a quarter of a million or so. “But it is not just clubs in Switzerland or in California; it’s people in Pennington Gap,” she said. Church collections donated “a quilt and lamps next to the bed and things to hang on the walls only to make them home.”
Before the opening of the facility, local people volunteered to withdraw weeds, landing an old fence, and placing a new one. Kingsolver said that the support well “was endless. It was deep, loving and surprising to see him.”
Cantell said the high floor, with only one employee, was estimated at $ 120,000 annual operating costs. Population fees are imposed 50 dollars a week. Ventrell said that the fees in other recovery homes vary widely, but $ 2,500 per month is an approximate average.
“We want them to focus on saving money and paying any restoration or fines they may enjoy from the previous fees,” Cantell said. “Some may focus on paying the child’s support that they may owe.”
Do not receive the highest basis of any federal or governmental financing. The donations continue to flow. Kingsolver recently bought the adjacent building with plans to open the savings store, which will be an additional source for the home and provides retail work experience for its residents.
Supporters aspire to open higher ground houses in other places of the area.
What these women gain, as Kingolver said, “It is not just sobriety, but faith themselves.”
KFF Health News is a national news room that produces an in-depth press on health issues and is one of the basic operating programs in KFF-independent source of health policy research, polling, and journalism. Learn more about KFF.
Use our content
This story can be republished for free (details).