Western Pa. nonprofits get part of $12M in grants for substance abuse recovery

A $700,000 federal grant to Hempfield-based Sage’s Army announced by Gov. Tom Wolf will enable the nonprofit to continue its substance use recovery services through March 2023, according to acting executive director Rich Jones.

“We have other sources of funding, but this is by far our largest source of funds so it’s extremely important to us. We’re really happy to receive it,” Jones said.

Wolf on Tuesday announced recipients of more than $12 million in federal grant funding statewide for services and support of individuals recovering from substance use disorders.

The state Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs will administer funding to grantees that provide employment support services, expand and enhance community recovery support and provide support services to pregnant women and postpartum women in recovery. The grants are part of $55 million in federal funding awarded to Pennsylvania through the SAMHSA Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant Program Covid-19 Supplemental Awards.

In addition to Sage’s Army, Pittsburgh-based Life’s Work of Western Pennsylvania will receive $387,500. The nonprofit provides support services to more than 2,000 people through its offices in the South Side and Belle Vernon.

Life’s Works officials could not immediately be reached for comment.

Westmoreland Community Action will receive a $381,722 grant.

Mandy Zalich, CEO of Westmoreland Community Action, said the organization last year created a recovery employment partnership working with organizations like PA CareerLink and area “recovery-friendly” businesses to obtain and retain jobs.

“We are thrilled to receive this. We have some full-time staff now and this will enable us to retain them, plus possibly add some additional staff members,” Zalich said.

Zalich said the program works with people who are at least 18 and who are in active recovery from opioid use disorder that are either unemployed or under-employed.

The funding is designed to sustain and improve outcomes for people in recovery from substance abuse disorders, Wolf said. Grant awardees provide a wide variety of services including vocational assessments, resume writing, interviewing skills, job placement and transportation assistance related to employment.

Jones said Sage’s Army has five full-time certified recovery specialists who provide recovery support services to residents in Allegheny, Fayette, Indiana and Westmoreland counties.

“Although we’re based in the Greensburg area, we do a lot of outreach outside of the Westmoreland area,” Jones noted.

The organization offers advice, support and referrals to those battling addiction. Jones said last month it took part in a recovery advocacy program in Seward, located along Westmoreland’s border with Indiana County.

“There were a lot of people even from Cambria County who attended,” Jones said.

In 2019, Sage’s Army received a $600,000 grant for addition recovery and support programs.

The organization was founded in 2012 by Irwin contractor Carmen Capozzi. His 20-year-old son, Sage, died of a heroin overdose that year and his father turned his grief into an anti-addiction campaign.