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In a state struggling with a substance abuse epidemic as vicious as the one that has gripped West Virginia for more than a decade, the challenges seem endless. Among them is finding a way to support those who are in recovery -- who are doing the excruciating work of turning their lives around.
To that end, lawmakers seem to be on the right track with House Bill 4961, which would create the Substance Abuse Recovery Tax Credit against personal income tax and the corporate net income tax for an employer of a person participating in a drug court and employed at least 120 hours per month.
"I think this bill is really important," said lead sponsor Del. Josh Holstein, R-Boone. "I think part of the problem we have today is we have a lot of folks who are in recovery or have been in recovery for a while, but there's still a lingering stigma on that individual and it a lot of times puts them at a disadvantage for hiring. I do think that this would help with recidivism problems and a lot of folks who sometimes feel that (they) can't get ahead."
The idea that this somehow gives an unfair advantage to those in recovery shows a stunning lack of understanding.
"I think there are many employers, unfortunately, in the state that aren't going to even take this up because of the stigma attached to it," said Del. Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha. "It's a good program. Nobody's forcing any of these businesses - no matter how small or large - to take advantage of this. We need to do as much as we can to remove barriers to employment for people who are making the choice to get better."
If we do not, we choose to perpetuate the cycle that has kept Mountain State residents in the depths of hopelessness for generations now.
But if, indeed, we do as much as we can to support those who want very much to break that cycle, we might just start to make progress against the monster that has held sway for too long. What a wonderful possibility.