People's Defender

Brown announces $500,000 in infrastructure law funding for Workforce Development in Highland County

Press Release

U.S. Senator Sherrod Brown (D-OH) recently announced that the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) has awarded a $500,000 grant to the Highland County Community Action Organization (HCCAO) for its Wellness, Recovery, and Employment Program (WREP). Funding for this investment was made possible through the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA), which Brown helped to write and pass.

“Rural communities have been overlooked for too long. If we want to promote economic development throughout Ohio, we need to ensure that businesses and communities have the tools and resources they need,” said Brown. “I’m working to make sure Ohio gets its fair share – or more – of the investment. Thanks to the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, these funds will have a significant economic impact for Highland County.”

HCCAO strives to empower individuals and families to achieve self-sufficiency. As a part of the WERP project, five employers in the county will hire 30 individuals who are recovering from substance use disorders (SUD), and provide them with opportunities to be successful in the workforce. WERP will help participants to maintain their recovery from SUD, provide referral services to health professionals if needed, and ensure sustainable, long-term employment. In addition to ARC funds, local and state sources will provide $779,724.

ARC is an economic development agency of the federal government. It has a mission to build community capacity and strengthen economic growth in the Appalachian region.