FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, Dec. 9, 2019
Contact: Clark Davis, University Relations Specialist, 304-696-3408
The Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia hires
longtime recovery advocate Susie Mullens to facilitate Recovery Network on seven college campuses
Initial grant totals more than $320,000 to offer behavioral health centers’ peer support services on seven college campuses in southern West Virginia
*Photo Attached*
The Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia (Alliance) Operations Council Chair Sara Payne Scarbro today announced that the Alliance has hired Susie Mullens as its project coordinator for the new Southern West Virginia Collegiate Peer Recovery Network. This network is supported through a grant totaling more $320,000 by the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources (DHHR), Bureau for Behavioral Health from the State Opioid Response (SOR) grant. Federal SOR grant funding comes from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. These funds will be used to establish a Southern West Virginia Collegiate Peer Recovery Network, offering peer recovery support services, on seven higher education campuses.
“Susie is a true collaborator and she really has a passion to grow collegiate recovery,” Scarbro said. “We are honored to have her join our team to help facilitate connections, build resources in our state and help revitalize our communities. Collegiate Recovery is critical infrastructure for our state to offer and we are pleased that Susie will help lead this important initiative.”
The alliance’s Southern West Virginia Collegiate Peer Recovery Network includes the following institutions: BridgeValley Community and Technology College, Bluefield State College, Concord University, Marshall University, Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College, West Virginia Osteopathic School of Medicine and West Virginia State University, working with the following behavioral health centers: Prestera, Seneca Health Services and Southern Highlands Community Mental Health.
“I am honored to join the alliance to help expand collegiate recovery in West Virginia because it will make a tremendous difference in the lives of students, their families and the communities where they will establish careers and businesses,” Mullens said. “We know that students in recovery who have support on campus graduate at a higher rate and tend to have higher grade point averages. Collegiate recovery is a truly a win for all partners – the student wins, our campuses/institutions win, our community wins and our state wins.”
The alliance recognizes that collaboration between service providers and other organizations in delivering services, early intervention and peer recovery support services is vital in meeting individuals’ unique needs.
The Alliance for the Economic Development of Southern West Virginia is a joint venture among West Virginia’s southern colleges and universities to better connect the educational resources and workforce training offered in southern West Virginia to promote the region, eliminate redundancies and share best practices, improve the quality of life for area residents, create jobs, keep West Virginia’s talent pool in the state and revitalize southern communities. Learn more about the alliance and its projects online at https://www.marshall.edu/aedswv/