LOGAN â Eleven individuals who have recovered from substance abuse and addiction were recently awarded their certificates in the supervision of asbestos abatement and removal.
For an entire week, those individuals completed a training course provided by an initiative called Hire West Virginia, which partnered with the Jobs and Hope WV program created by Gov. Jim Justice in 2019. On Friday, July 23, they received their certificates of completion, and they can now become state-certified to be supervisors of the asbestos removal process.
The training was provided at the Logan County Resource Center, located inside the old 84 Lumber structure at Peach Creek. Amber Bjornsson, a peer support employment specialist, said the training was specifically targeted toward those impacted by the opioid epidemic and involved in the justice system.
After a two-year prison sentence, Amber Bjornsson moved into a recovery home. She took a minimum wage job at a restaurant within walking distance of her transitional housing. But she still faced the substantial court fines she’d accumulated prior to her prison term. “Everything in front of me was burnt by kerosene, and I had to get across it,” Bjornsson said. “I had $7,000 of
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Formerly Incarcerated People in West Virginia Find Community Support
After using similar services, Amber Bjornsson works as a peer employment support specialist, helping returning citizens find work in their community. “I use the knowledge and network I’ve acquired through my own experiences,” Bjornsson said.
Photo by Marcus Constantino / 100 Days in Appalachia
A network of government agencies and community service organizations have created a program to help formerly incarcerated people navigate life outside prison.
May 24, 2021
Amber Bjornsson says she had a “true heart change” while serving a two-year prison sentence for the years of fines and felonies she previously collected. Once her sentence was complete, Bjornsson moved into a recovery home.