Fentress County renewing its agreement with Manna House Ministries to continue supporting the organization’s addiction recovery services.
Manna House Ministries Executive Director William Webb said the partnership with the county over the past three years has allowed Manna House to significantly expand its services locally.
“What it really allowed us to do is serve people more intensely right here locally instead of having to outsource or refer folks out of town, which oftentimes, for those struggling with addiction, there’s very limited resources for them,” Webb said.
Webb said through the partnership, Manna House receives an estimated $120,000 from the county’s opioid abatement fund. Webb said not only does the funding expand services, but it also allows them to offer them for free.
“That money allows us to offer these treatment services for free for the individual,” Webb said. “So there’s nothing out of pocket. We’re not having to contract with their insurance and use those sorts of things as of right now. So folks who are local of interest and picket, they have these services available to them. And again, it’s nothing out of pocket to that individual.”
Webb said opioid addiction has been a big problem for Fentress and Pickett County. Webb said that since the partnership with Fentress County was formed, Manna House has made a big impact.
“Some folks need a lot more help and a lot more services,” Webb said. “And so being able to do that, we’ve seen folks be able to graduate IOP successfully, gain jobs, be restored to their family, and in some situations where their children were involved, we’ve seen those kids be reunited with that adult. And seeing that person maintain sobriety and not only being an asset to their family, but also being productive members of society, getting jobs, and we’re able to help facilitate that as well with some local partners here in Fentress that are willing to give folks a shot. And so they work with us directly to give people a shot at a job, employment opportunities, and have a couple of folks going back to school. So when I say game-changer, it’s been phenomenal for many folks.”
Webb said Manna House has also seen many people stay engaged with the recovery process. Webb said staying engaged has been a gap in the field for a long time.
“When folks complete treatment, how do we keep them engaged and reduce the rate of relapse and overall reduce deaths?” Webb said. “We see an extraordinary number of people losing their lives to addiction every year. That’s not new news. But that’s our main goal, to save lives and see people with hope and opportunity. And the whole facility has just jumped on board with it. Many of the folks in treatment have now become members of the recovery group themselves. And so they’re just love like family and walking it out together, people learning not only how to stay clean and sober, but be that better version of themselves that they’ve been searching for.”
Despite that progress, Webb said the need for services in rural communities remains high.
“There’s still a tremendous need here in Fentress,” Webb said. ” A lot of folks we are not able to reach yet, but we’re still in the fight and getting these resources out there.”
Webb said the support from the community and local leaders has been critical to the non-profit’s success. Looking ahead, Webb said Manna House Ministries plans to continue growing its programs, including expanding housing options for those in recovery and strengthening partnerships across the region.
