Partner4Work and UPMC Health Plan Receive Federal ARC Funding to Support Behavioral Health Workforce

Pittsburgh (Oct. 21, 2024) – Partner4Work and UPMC Health Plan’s Pathways to Work program announced they received funding from the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) to support a series of Certified Recovery Specialist trainings in southwestern PA and surrounding workforce development areas.

The funding builds on Certified Recovery Specialists (CRS) training efforts to offer critical one-on-one peer support to individuals who are recovering from substance use disorder, as they navigate their individual recovery journey. The innovative initiative builds on the multi-year successful partnership between UPMC Health Plan and Partner4Work with the goal of recruiting, training and hiring individuals off Medicaid—and other public assistance&mdahs;into life-changing careers that support the physical and behavioral health needs of the recovery ecosystem of our region.

Certified Recovery Specialists are individuals with lived experience recovering from substance use disorder. In their role, Certified Recovery Specialists share their personal recovery experience, offer hope, encouragement and valuable support to peers on their road to recovery. CRS credentialing provides services in the home and community settings, walking side-by-side with their clients, offering individualized support from the perspective of someone with valuable lived experience. Credentialed individuals are trained to offer participants motivation and support to engage in treatment services and workforce supports to meet their individual goals for recovery and help people overcome barriers to recovery by connecting them with recovery supportive services and activities in their community.

The CRS/CFRS training is being offered to people in recovery from substance use disorders who are interested in employment as CRS/CFRS or related recovery career fields and live in southwestern Pennsylvania. These training services are designed to address workforce shortages for Certified Recovery Specialists in the region, particularly in underserved and rural communities in the region as an effort to strength the recovery ecosystem. One of the three CRS/CFRS training series will be held at the Downtown PA CareerLink location over a two-week period beginning Sept. 30 and concluding Oct. 11, there is no cost to attend. Students may test for CRS Certification after completing 78 hours of training, including 66 classroom hours and 12 hours of work outside the classroom. The trainings are funded by ARC's INSPIRE initiative.

To apply, candidates must begin by creating an account at pacertboard.org. Priority is given to re-entrants, veterans and single parents.

"By connecting Appalachians with substance use disorder to mentors with lived experience, the Pathways to Work program not only offers them a greater chance of success, but also gives them hope and a sense of community," said ARC Federal Co-Chair Gayle Manchin. "At ARC, we know that recovery isn't a singular event but a continuum, which is why INSPIRE works to create an ecosystem that connects recovery communities to support services such as job training, housing, and peer support specialists."

"Collaborative care is essential for achieving optimal health outcomes," said Matthew Hurford, MD, President and CEO, UPMC Community Care Behavioral Health. "We are grateful for this funding from ARC and to continue our long-standing partnership with Partner4Work to support workforce development in urban and rural communities, and at the same time aiding those in their recovery journey. If there are individuals interested in becoming a Certified Recovery Specialist, we encourage them to enroll in a training session."

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About Partner4Work

Nationally recognized for innovation, Partner4Work delivers workforce solutions for Pittsburgh and Allegheny County to ensure the current and future needs of businesses and job seekers are met. As stewards of more than $25 million in public and private workforce funds, Partner4Work oversees and funds workforce programs for adults, dislocated workers, and youth; educates the community through robust labor market analytics; and implements innovative solutions to the region's systemic workforce challenges. Partner4Work bridges the gap between people looking for work and companies in need of talent. More information is available at partner4work.org.

About UPMC Insurance Services

The UPMC Insurance Services Division serves more than 4 million members and is owned and operated by UPMC, a world-renowned health care provider and insurer in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The UPMC Insurance Services Division provides commercial products through UPMC Health Plan for both groups and individuals. Its commercial products also include workers' compensation and employee assistance from nationally known Workpartners^®. Government products include Medicare Advantage plans (UPMC for Life); special needs plans for those who are eligible for Medicare and Medical Assistance (UPMC for Life Complete Care and UPMC Community HealthChoices); a Medical Assistance plan (UPMC for You); and Children's Health Insurance Program plans (UPMC for Kids). Community Care Behavioral Health Organization—one of the nation's largest nonprofit managed care behavioral health organizations—is also part of the Insurance Services Division. Community Care offers a full range of services to commercial and Medical Assistance members. For more information, visit upmchealthplan.com.